TEACHERS UNIONS THREATEN NATIONWIDE LABOR STRIKE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000684 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB ASEC PGOV GV SUBJECT: TEACHERS UNIONS THREATEN NATIONWIDE LABOR STRIKE REF: A. CONAKRY 0663 ¶B. CONAKRY 0668 ¶C. CONAKRY 0670 ¶D. CONAKRY 0675 ¶E. CONAKRY 0678 ¶F. CONAKRY 0325 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Citing the government's continued failure to fulfill its commitments, Guinea's teacher's union is threatening to resume a nationwide labor strike that was suspended in June. The teachers are demanding that the GoG address their demands before November 10. Union contacts have indicated that they will likely decide to go forward with the strike sometime after the November 10 deadline. Most of the union demands are consistent with previous demands, but union leaders are now calling for the GoG to further reduce the fixed fuel price. A $10 million grant from the World Bank will likely give the GoG the resources it needs to address the union's most critical demands. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) On November 4 , Guinea's teacher's union (FSPE-SLECG) signed a declaration demanding that the Guinean Government address a number of outstanding labor issues before November 10. Although signed November 4, the declaration was not actually released until November 6. The document details four immediate concerns, most of which are related to previous demands. However, the unions have added a new demand, asking that the GoG reduce the price of fuel to GnF 4,500. The union's declaration comes after four days of civil demonstrations related to fuel price issues (reftels). ¶3. (SBU) The teacher's union launched a nationwide labor strike on June 19, which they later suspended on June 22 after the GoG made a number of promises to resolve long-standing compensation issues over the ensuing months (reftel). In the November 4 declaration, the union notes that the GoG has violated the negotiated agreement, failing to fulfill at least six of its commitments. According to a union contact, the teacher's union is not required to file a pre-notification of strike since the previous strike was only suspended, not cancelled. Contact told Pol LES that the union may legally decide to strike anytime after the November 10 deadline if the GoG fails to address the union's concerns. -------------- NON-RECOGNITION OF REGISTERED TEACHERS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In the declaration, the union notes that the Guinean Government, in concertation with the union, conducted �A;a verification campaign to confirm the employment status of 7,021 teachers. The list of teachers was thought to contain a number of "ghost workers," i.e. false names under which other individuals were collecting a salary. A union contact told Pol LES that the verification campaign identified a about 1,000 of these ghost teachers, but also confirmed the legitimacy of the remaining teachers on the list. However, source said that the GoG continues to refuse to pay these teachers a salary even though they have been officially accounted for. -------------- NEED FOR FUEL PRICE REDUCTION -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Low salaries have been a point of contention for the teacher's union for years. The union emphasizes that its members cannot understand how the GoG can repeatedly deny the salary increases when it is willing to spend irresponsibly in other areas, highlighting as an example the recent purchase of expensive vehicles for high-level officials. The declaration states: "Must we continue to accept these expenditures and corruption when our salaries can not even feed us?" The union uses the salary issue to call for a reduction in the fixed price of fuel to 4,500 GnF in order to reduce the general cost of living. (COMMENT. The GoG subsidizes fuel. The price was raised from 4,300 GnF to 7,000 in April, under significant pressure from the IMF and the international community. Falling world oil prices prompted the GoG to reduce the price to 5,500 GnF effective November 1. The price reduction was reportedly less than the population anticipated, sparking violent demonstrations for most of this week. END COMMENT). -------------- SALARY INCREASES -------------- CONAKRY 00000684 002 OF 002 ¶6. (SBU) The union also underscores its "astonishment" that the GoG has suddenly decided to increase base salaries for all military personnel given that the GoG refused to negotiate a similar increase for teachers in June, citing extraordinary budgetary difficulties. In the declaration, the union questions the government's obvious double standard, accusing the GoG of favoring one group over another. -------------- DEMANDING ACTION -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In conclusion, the union demands the immediate payment of two months of salary arrears, payment of salary arrears for teachers hired in 2005 and 2006 (referring to those teachers being denied per para 4),payment of four months worth of arrears in basic allowances, and a reduction in the price of fuel. The union states that if these demands are not met before November 10, the union reserves the right to utilize "all legal means at its disposition." -------------- WORLD BANK TO THE RESCUE -------------- ¶8. (SBU) On October 30, the World Bank announced a $10 million grant to be given to the Guinean Government in November and December 2008 "to support Guinea's education program as it seeks to embark on far reaching reform to improve access, management and conditions for teaching and learning in its school system." The World Bank notes that the Guinean Government has had difficulty "finding money to pay teachers' salaries," and that the Bank's grant will ensure that teachers can be paid on time. (This grant will be further explored in a septel). -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (SBU) By late October, union contacts told Embassy officials that the teachers would likely agree to resume the nationwide labor strike that was suspended in June, citing the GoG's continued failure to fulfill its promises. However, the World Bank's education grant will probably give the GoG the resources it needs to resolve the union's most critical issues in the immediate term. At the same time, the GoG's recent decision to increase military salaries across the board (effective January) raises troublesome questions about priorities and budget management. Union contacts have indicated that they understand that the GoG cannot reduce the price of fuel further, but may be adding this demand into the mix in order to drum up popular support, capitalizing on the demonstrations earlier this week. END COMMENT. RASPOLIC