HEALTH UNIONS RESUME LABOR STRIKE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000506 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: ELAB PGOV ASEC GV SUBJECT: HEALTH UNIONS RESUME LABOR STRIKE REF: CONAKRY 0440 ¶1. (SBU) Citing the GoG's failure to meet long-standing demands, Guinea's health unions resumed a nationwide labor strike on September 8, continuing the 48 hour strike of August 11 and 12 (REFTEL). According to Daouda Conde, a member of the FSPDS' (Guinean Federation of Health Workers) executive bureau, most union members are observing the strike, keeping clinics and hospitals largely closed. However, the union is maintaining a minimum level of emergency services in select hospitals ¶2. (SBU) FSPDS provided POL LES with a letter they had addressed to the Secretary General of the CNTG (National Confederation of Guinean Workers),Rabiatou Diallo, on September 2, in which they reminded Rabiatou that she had signed the August 11 negotiated agreement on FSPDS' behalf. Further, they stated that the GoG has failed to implement the agreement. Contact told POL LES that FSPDS is holding Rabiatou responsible for the situation, and that the "strongly worded" letter is a message that she needs to more actively support their cause. (COMMENT. In a meeting with A/DCM on September 4, Rabiatou said that she had received the letter and was going to advise FSPDS to hold off on any labor strikes. END COMMENT). ¶3. (SBU) The Minister of Labor reportedly requested to meet with the health workers union representatives today, but a union contact said they had declined because they do not want to be pressured to suspend the strike before their demands are met. He added that the union is meeting today at the Bourse de Travail to assess the situation and will most likely meet with the Minister of Labor tomorrow. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶4. FSPDS' apparent diversion with Rabiatou's CNTG, which is essentially its parent organization, illustrates the continued splintering of Guinea's labor movement, which was responsible for organizing the 2007 strike that sparked civil unrest and resulted in the installation of a consensus government. Unless FSPDS is backed by other unions, the strike is unlikely to continue for very long as union members will be under pressure from both the government and private citizens to return to work. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE