TEACHER UNION STRIKE FORCES CASH-STRAPPED

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000169

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR WHA/CAR -- MSEIBEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ELAB ECON SOCI NS
SUBJECT: TEACHER UNION STRIKE FORCES CASH-STRAPPED
SURINAMESE GOVT TO OFFER CIVIL SERVANT SALARY INCREASE


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SUMMARY
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1. In the first case of labor unrest this year, the Union
of High School Teachers (BVL) began a strike on February 17
to protest the government's refusal to fulfill terms of a
1998 agreement between the Wijdenbosch administration (1996-
2000) and civil servants. In response, Minister of
Education Walter Sandriman denounced the strikes and
announced legal action against the union to force the
teachers to return to work. However, BVL, buoyed by
statements of support by other labor organizations, is
promising to maintain its hardline position until the
government accedes to its demands. While the teachers'
strike is limited in scope at this time, it has already
exacted a heavy price -- a civil servant salary increase --
which the cash-strapped government can not afford, and may
touch off other strikes that may deteriorate Suriname's
already battered economy. End Summary.

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TEACHERS: GOVET RENEGED ON ITS PROMISES
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2. In the first case of labor unrest for the new year, the
Union of High School Teachers (BVL) went on strike on
February 17 after talks with the Ministry of Education over
the granting of allowances reached a deadlock. To exert
pressure on the government, the union mobilized high school
students to demonstrate at the Ministry of Education to the
dismay of some members of the public. On the following day,
BVL led a peaceful street demonstration with about 140
adults in front of the Vice President's office which is also
the venue for the regularly scheduled Council of Ministers'
meeting which was then in session.


3. The disagreement between the government and BVL stemmed
from the GOS' refusal to follow through on a 1998 agreement
brokered by the Wijdenbosch administration (1996-2000).
Under this agreement, the government granted civil servants
a clothing and a professional development allowance fixed at
12 percent and 18 percent of 1998 salaries, respectively.
In addition, it agreed to a clause allowing for a
renegotiation of allowances contingent upon changes in the
country's economic situation. The Venetiaan administration
insisted that it could not fulfill the terms of the
agreement since it intends to terminate allowances once it
fully restructures civil service salary scales. At the same
time, to pacify the BVL and other labor unions that may
follow BVL's lead, the government granted one concession: a
10 percent salary increase -- a 5 percent increase in March
and another in September of this year. However, this
concession was not enough to satisfy the BVL, which
maintained that the government still had to meet its
obligations under the 1998 agreement. (Note: The Federation
of Teachers Unions (FOLS),whose chairman is a high-ranking
member in the ruling New Front coalition's Suriname Labor
Party (SPA),has accepted the government's 10 percent salary
increase. To quell the labor unrest, FOLS has offered to
mediate between BVL and the Ministry of Education. End
Note).


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THE GOVT"S RESPONSE
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4. During a February 17 press conference, Minister of
Education Walter Sandriman condemned the teachers' strike
and announced legal actions against BVL. Sandriman accused
BVL chairman Wilgo Valies of exploiting the teachers and the
students for the sake of his own political ambitions and
disparaged the teachers for interrupting classes. In
addition, Sandriman vowed that he would go to the courts to
force the striking teachers to resume their duties to uphold
the "no work, no pay" principle reinstituted by the
Venetiaan administration last year.

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TEACHERS: WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR GROUND
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5. In response to the Minister's statement, BVL chairman


Wilgo Valies told the press that the union would not back
down despite the threat of legal action against it. Buoyed
by statements of support from the labor federation de
Moederbond, among others, a confident Valies asserted that
he welcomed a court case and that he expects the judge to
uphold the 1998 agreement and rule in favor of the union.
In the meantime, he said, the teachers are prepared to
continue the strike until the government meets their demand.

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COMMENT
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6. The BVL strike is the first serious strike faced by the
Venetiaan administration in some time. Given Suriname's
long tradition of labor activity and the role of teachers'
unions as lightning rods for labor unrests that have brought
down previous governments, the BVL strike poses a legitimate
threat to the Venetiaan administration, which can not afford
to lose public support so close to the 2005 elections. The
strike has already exacted a heavy price since to pacify
strikers, the administration offered a civil servant salary
increase that will certainly have a negative impact on
Suriname's already sputtering economy and may encourage
other unions to seek similar pay raises.

BARNES


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2004PARAMA00169 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED



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