UD: Security guards demand 14 months salary arrears

On the latest updates, the five security staff of the University of Douala, arrested last Monday were released. Jeannot Ebolo, Olinga Zing, Manka, Clementine Nya’aba and other colleagues spent five days in the jails of the Judicial Police in Douala. Arrests which followed the claim of their salary recently.

According to the newspaper Le Messager published on Monday, July 11, 2016, to enter the campus, they had to disguise themselves as students to peacefully demand their rights.

Still, “we did not intend to come to a strike. Since we had no signboard, nothing. But we came to dialogue peacefully and demand our rights. Until when we were attacked by the police who had squared the campus, “says one of the guards.

Everything started when the University decided to privatize the management of security officers which it was previously managing, explains the daily. Thus, on July 1, the new deal was presented to the guards who were to join the ranks of this new company. Information that was not really welcomed by concerned.

After several months of past service in this academic institution, the demonstrators demanded a formal recruitment or the payment of their rights. “We signed a renewable two-year contract with the University.

Let them allow us finish the 14 months we have left. But we realized that they already wanted to impose the decision. That’s why we asked for our unpaid salaries and our benefits. Because it is a breach of contract, “says one of the protesters.

On the side of the administration, they talk about wanting to “regularize the situation of these workers who did not have contracts of employment with the University. They just signed letters of commitment.

With the designated provider, they should have employment contracts and any resulting benefits, “said the private secretary of the Rector of the University of Douala.