WOULD THE REAL AUTONOMOUS UNIONS PLEASE STAND UP?

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ALGIERS 000332

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2018
TAGS: ELAB PHUM PGOV SOCI AG
SUBJECT: WOULD THE REAL AUTONOMOUS UNIONS PLEASE STAND UP?

REF: A. ALGIERS 110


B. ALGIERS 140

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas F. Daughton;
reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: The first two months of 2008 have witnessed
a coordinated level of independent labor union activity on a
nationwide scale. The strikes of early 2008 appear to have
been effective in mobilizing participants across the entire
country. The three major nationwide strikes so far this year
-- January 15 (ref A),February 10-12 (ref B) and February
24-26 -- played on dissatisfaction over salary levels, the
loss of purchasing power and laws concerning professions.
The "autonomous" unions (non-state-affiliated unions
representing a variety of professions) that called the
strikes say they are united on the issues that concern them,
but in the world of Algerian labor unions, all is not as it
appears. Some union officials have suggested to us that
certain unions are not truly "autonomous," but are in fact
linked to the state, thereby tarnishing their legitimacy and
calling into question the effectiveness of some strikes. It
is not clear which unions are completely autonomous and which
are autonomous in name only, and the autonomous unions
generally have yet to attain real bargaining power.
Coordination between the two types of unions has complicated
the picture so far in 2008 with, in at least one case, two
unions with the same name maneuvering for "official" status
and street credibility. According to the press, the labor
ministry, invoking a May 1997 regulation, has set a March 31
deadline for all unions to provide the names of all their
members and evidence that they represent at least 20 percent
of a given profession. But labor contacts say the
requirement is nothing new, and is based in the law. END
SUMMARY.

JUDGING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STRIKES
--------------


2. (U) The press and unions have described the 2008 strikes
as nationwide in scope. According to the January 17 edition
of the French-language daily Liberte, union officials said
that 83.21 percent of union members participated in the
January 15 strike. The February 28 edition of Liberte quoted
union official Meziane Meriane as being "very satisfied" with
the level of participation in the February 24-26 strike,
which was put at 85.21 per cent. There has been no
independent verification of the levels of participation, and
the effect of the strikes in Algiers appeared quite limited.
Press reports have provided anecdotal evidence that
participation varied by geographic region. Those reports
also indicated that striking workers in the education and
health sectors had a greater impact because of the size of
the groups affected by their actions: primary/secondary
students and individuals seeking medical care.

TWO SNAPAPS DUEL FOR LEGITIMACY
--------------


3. (C) In a February 19 meeting Rachid Malaoui, president of
one of two versions of the National Autonomous Union of
Public Administration Employees (SNAPAP),told us that the
Algerian government was promoting a "false nationalism" in
order to divert attention away from its failures. As part of
this effort, he claimed, in 2004 the government created
"parallel unions" -- spinoffs of already-existing autonomous
unions. One example of this is the pair of unions called
SNAPAP devoted to the same profession and competing for
legitimacy. Malaoui said the Algerian government thereby
gave the impression, both domestically and internationally,
that the country had viable labor institutions and recognized
the need to have them. Reality, he asserted, is completely
different: the parallel unions are not independent, but
merely additional tools used by the state to control
Algerians. The parallel unions are not truly legal, he
added, but the government still chose to deal with them on
labor issues. Malaoui acknowledged that it was difficult for
the average Algerian to distinguish among the various unions
and claimed the situation made it all the easier for the
government to manipulate.


4. (C) Turning directly to the spate of strikes that began in
January 2008, Malaoui drew a clear distinction between

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strikes organized by the Inter-trade Union Organization
(IUO),an umbrella organization of seven autonomous unions to
which he has ties, and the National Coordination of
Autonomous Unions (NCAU),an umbrella organization of twelve
autonomous unions. (Note: The NCAU organized the January 15
and February 24-26 strikes; the IUO organized the February
10-12 strike.) Malaoui claimed that despite their
"autonomous" name and presumed independent character, the
NCAU-affiliated unions were creatures of the state. He also
described the NCAU strikes as not true strikes but mechanisms
through which the state could buy time to address concerns.
Referencing press reports, Malaoui said that the January 15
nationwide strike was perceived as having a significant level
of participation because the state wanted to give the
appearance of allowing expression so that it could later be
seen making a deal. He criticized the lack of independent
verification of union participation in the strike, and
accused the press of reporting only what the unions told them
about participation rates.


5. (C) According to the March 5 edition of the
French-language daily El Watan, the labor ministry, invoking
a May 1997 regulation, has set a March 31 deadline for all
unions to provide the names of all their members and evidence
that they represent at least 20 percent of a given
profession. The article added that the ministry reserved the
right to disqualify non-compliant unions. In a March 19
conversation, labor ministry contact Amina Heddad told us
that Article 35 of Law 90-14 of June 1990 -- not an internal
regulation -- requires all unions to provide annually the
names of their members. She also confirmed that all unions
comply. Malaoui described the requirement as a "formality"
and not new to unions. He confirmed that his branch of
SNAPAP would comply with the ministry's request.

REPORTS OF GOVERNMENT RETALIATION AGAINST STRIKERS
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Ali Lemdani, secretary general of the National Council
of Secondary and Technical Teachers (CNAPEST),which claims
60,000 members, told us March 1 that the 2008 strikes should
not be viewed as new and significant by themselves, but as
part of an ongoing continuum of strikes that began in 2003.
He also claimed that some state employees had been
transferred to jobs further away from their homes as
punishment for participating in strikes. According to press
reports confirmed by Lemdani, National Education Minister
Benbouzid fined education sector strikers three days' pay for
participation in the February 24-26 strike. Press reports
also said Benbouzid terminated the contracts of all temporary
teachers in retaliation for going on strike, but we have not
been able to determine the number of affected individuals.
Lemdani told us that the government does not negotiate with
autonomous unions, saying it has "conversations" with the
General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) instead. (The
government-affiliated UGTA is the largest union in Algeria,
boasting well over a million members.) Not surprisingly,
Lemdani rejected the UGTA as a substitute for negotiations
with other unions.

WHO'S WHO
--------------


7. (U) Although the complete picture of which unions are
truly autonomous and which are surreptitiously linked to the
state is unclear, following is a list of the members of the
IUO and NCAU umbrella groups:

Inter-trade Union Organization (IUO):

National Council of Secondary and Technical Teachers
(CNAPEST)
Autonomous Union of Education and Professional Workers
(SATEF)
Algiers Higher Schools Council (CLA)
National Union of Education Workers (SNTE)
Coordination of Algerian Contractual Teachers (CECA)
National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff
(SNAPAP)
National Union of Paramedical Professors (SNPEPM)

National Coordination of Autonomous Unions (NCAU):


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National Council of Higher Education (CNES)
National Union of Permanent Researchers (SNCP)
National Union of Medical Science Professors and Docents
(SNPDSM)
National Union of Medicine Lecturers (SNMAM)
National Union of the Education and Training Staff (UNPEF)
National Autonomous Union of Secondary and Technical
Teaching Professionals (SNAPEST)
National Union of Education Workers (SNTE)
National Union of Public Health Practitioners (SNPSP)
National Union of Veterinarians (SNVPAF)
National Union of Public Health Specialized Practitioners
(SNPSSP)
National Autonomous Union of Public Administration Staff
(SNAPAP)
Autonomous Union of Educational and Professional Training
Workers (SATEF)


8. (C) COMMENT: While in general agreement on the issues,
Algeria's autonomous unions have yet to unite in a way that
connotes true bargaining power. Our contacts tell us the
strikes of 2008 suggest a coalescence and greater
coordination among the real autonomous unions, while those
affiliated with the state compete for the loyalties of
Algerian workers. The government response in the first two
months of 2008 has been muted and restrained, though it
appears poised to push for greater control of the playing
field. Despite the "nationwide" title, the strikes did not
paralyze the country. Certainly, some cities and regions
were more affected than others, but in Algiers it was largely
business as usual.
FORD