GOVERNMENT MOVES TO QUELL LABOR UNREST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000073

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W DBANKS
PARIS FOR D'ELIA

E.O.12958:N/A
TAGS: ELABPGOVBN
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT MOVES TO QUELL LABOR UNREST

REF: 07 COTONOU 772

1.(SBU) Summary: President Yayi and his ministers moved, on January
29, 2008, to quell mounting labor unrest by meeting many of the
demands made by striking workers. The GOB's moves were not met with
immediate support by Beninese unions. The teachers' unions, which
had previously launched a strike on January 7, and the medical
workers' union, which went on strike on January 22, decided to
continue their labor actions. Benin's other unions have threatened
to call a general strike to express their displeasure with the GOB's
handling of their demands. Some observers have raised the
possibility that the unions are working with political parties
opposed to President Yayi to foment political discontent. End
Summary.

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Teachers and Medical Workers Strike
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2.(U) The teachers' unions went on strike beginning on January 7
after they complained that the GOB did not fill the commitments it
made, at the beginning of the academic year, to improve conditions
and pay. Those commitments averted a strike in October 2007
(Reftel). During the strike teachers work on Mondays and Fridays
but do not come to work Tuesday through Thursday. Sources indicate
varying degrees of adhesion to the teachers' strike. In the
departments of Littoral and Atlantique in southern Benin, 70-80
percent of teachers are not teaching whereas in the Department of
Oueme, the stronghold of Party for Democratic Renewal (PRD) leader
Adrien Houngbedji, who is known to oppose President Yayi, close to
100 percent of teachers are not showing up for work.

3.(U) Medical workers started a similar, 3 day a week strike, on
January 22. The medical workers have demanded higher salaries,
payment of bonuses, and more money to pay for hospital equipment and
maintenance. According to union leaders, their frustration stems
mainly from a perceived lack of GOB resources devoted to improving
the health system.

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Unions Agitate
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4.(SBU) On January 22, the five largest and most important workers'
unions gathered in a public meeting to air their grievance with
President Yayi's government, which according to them, is not willing
to improve their working conditions and is preventing them from
exercising their rights as unions. They accused the GOB of paying
the press to silence journalists, because, in their opinion, all the
major newspapers and radios of the country have sided with the
government and have been disseminating false information that is
favorable to the government. Additionally, the unions complained
that the GOB was organizing alternate unions, often dubbed
"patriotic movements" to break up striking unions. Note: Such a
movement was organized during the customs officers' strike in early
January. End Note. At the end of the meeting the unions stated they
would launch a nationwide strike, on an undetermined date, to
paralyze the administration and compel the government to satisfy
their demands.


5. (SBU) According to a high-level source in a union friendly to the
government, the January 22 meeting was not widely attended and
several high-ranking customs officers attended the meeting. The
same source said it was clear that unions were working with the
Renaissance du Benin (RB) political party and PRD to stoke popular
discontent with the government. Both of these parties are facing
increasing competition from President Yayi's coalition, the Cowrie
Force for an Emerging Benin (FCBE),in the upcoming municipal
elections.

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GOB Responds
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6.(U) On January 29, at an unscheduled meeting of the Council of
Ministers (USG cabinet equivalent),the GOB announced that it would
satisfy some of the major claims put forward by teachers and health
sector workers. The decisions that it took include an increase in
the teachers' incentive allowance to up to 25 percent of a teacher's
salary and the payment of salary arrears for teachers and health
sector workers. The GOB also stated it would provide funding to
cover medical equipment related expenses for hospitals.
Additionally, the GOB stated it would consider ways of putting in
place a transport allowances scheme for all civil servants. The
Council of Ministers announced that the implementation of all these
measures would state by the second half of 2008 and that the
measures will be financed by a supplementary 2008 budget request to
the National Assembly.

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7.(U) Following the decisions of the Council of Ministers, union
leaders met on January 30 and decided to continue with their fight
because they are not satisfied with the solutions proposed by the
government. They went further complaining that they had not been
involved in the GOB's decision-making process. They also blamed the
government for using delaying tactics. A well informed unionist
confirmed to Post that the general strike is till on their agenda.

8(SBU) Comment: There is no doubt that President Yayi is seriously
concerned with the prospect of a general strike that could adversely
impact Benin's economy and his political standing in the run up to
President Bush's visit to Benin. The increasingly bitter political
battle surrounding the organization of the municipal elections
appears to be bleeding over into political party involvement in
unions' actions. The workers' unions seem, at present, ready to
continue their fight in spite of the GOB's promises, and the
situation is shaping up as a trial of strength between the GOB and
the workers' unions. President Yayi's skills as a negotiator will
be tested as he continues to attempt to bring these strikes to an
end. End Comment.

BROWN.