HEALTH UNIONS REFUSE TO BACK DOWN, LABOR STRIKE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000528 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM ASEC GV SUBJECT: HEALTH UNIONS REFUSE TO BACK DOWN, LABOR STRIKE CONTINUES REF: A. CONAKRY 0440 ¶B. CONAKRY 0506 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Guinea's health unions have entered into the second week of a nationwide labor strike they resumed on September 8. Unions leaders are refusing to back down, despite alleged "intimidation tactics" on the part of the government, because they are concerned that the government will not follow through on its promises. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Leaders of Guinea's health union FSPDS (Guinean Federation of Health Workers) are refusing to back down from the nationwide labor strike they resumed on September 8. FSPDS Secretary General Pierrette Tolno told Pol LES on September 11 that the strike will continue until President Conte signs a health statute, which was one of the terms of the agreement negotiated on August 11. She said that the GoG lacks the political will to satisfy the union's demands, which is why the strike must continue. ¶3. (SBU) Union contacts report that they are under significant pressure from the Guinean Government to call off the strike. According to Secretary General Tolno, the GoG has already resorted to "intimidation tactics," but the union members are not afraid. Daouda Conde, a member of the FSPDS Executive Bureau, told Pol LES that several union members have been receiving verbal threats from the Director of the Central Communal Medical Center. As of September 15, the Ministry of Health reportedly planned to send out inspectors to conduct a "roll call," in order to record the names of health workers who have not reported to work. Conde told Pol LES that striking union members have started to express concern that they will be dismissed or transferred from their posts, or that their salaries will be docked. ¶4. (SBU) The Minister of Health appeared on national television on September 10 stating that the statute is on the president's desk awaiting his signature. She encouraged patients to go to the military hospital at Camp Samory Toure for treatment. ¶5. (U) Health workers continue to maintain emergency services at select hospitals and clinics. Private health facilities continue to operate as normal. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) This is the first time in the union's history that a labor strike has exceeded a week in duration due to the sensitive nature of the services provided. Unions leaders seem to feel that if they back down in the face of government pressure, the government will not follow through on its promises. END COMMENT. BROKENSHIRE