GABONESE TEACHERS POSTPONE STRIKE AS GOVERNMENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000238 SIPDIS PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS KINSHASA PLEASE ALSO PASS BRAZZAVILLE NDJAMENA PLEASE ALSO PASS BANGUI AF/C PLEASE ALSO PASS MALABO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ELAB KDEM PGOV PINR SOCI GB SUBJECT: GABONESE TEACHERS POSTPONE STRIKE AS GOVERNMENT APPEALS FOR LABOR CALM REF: A. LIBREVILLE 232 ¶B. 08 LIBREVILE 229 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Acting to avoid a debilitating teacher's strike (Ref. A),the Gabonese Government finally delivered a long-promised salary supplement on May 28. However, the main teachers' union warned that a strike is still possible if the government fails to pay 2000-5000 teachers who still have not yet received their bonuses because of alleged clerical errors. Public school students in Gabon have so far missed about half the academic year due to teachers' strikes, and further labor action could force some students to miss critical baccalaureate exams--and possibly provoke student unrest. The teachers' union says it will make a decision about whether to go back on strike on May 30. In a related development, the government signed an accord with labor unions in the administrative and broadcasting sectors promising no strikes or other labor unrest for 30 months. The teachers' union was conspicuously absent from the accord, which in any case may not hold up. Despite its financial difficulties, the Gabonese Government is spending heavily to try to achieve labor peace during a tense time of potential political transition. And the unions are not hesitant to press their advantage. End Summary. -------------- Decision to Strike Postponed -------------- ¶2. (U) Gabon's main teachers' union CONASYSED (a French acronym) threatened to go out on strike May 25 if the Government of Gabon had not paid a long-promised salary supplement by that time (Ref. A). The government agreed to the increased payments in a January 13 meeting between government and union representatives, presided over by President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba. The supplemental payments were not provided on May 25 as promised, and most teachers walked out. Using full page newspaper ads and other mechanisms, however, the government promised that the payments would soon be released, and the majority of the estimated 40,000 eligible teachers got their money on May 28. Between May 25 and May 27 schools were open, with administrators present but few or no teachers. ¶3. (U) Many teachers, however, have not yet been paid the supplment due to what the government claims is a "clerical error." The government claims 2000 teachers have not yet received the supplemental, while the teachers' union claims upwards of 5000. The teachers' union has called for a general assembly of its membership May 30 to assess whether the remaining teachers have been paid, and decide whether or not to go back on strike. ¶4. (U) Further labor action in the education sector would have serious national consequences. Because of the number of days lost to strikes so far this year, all students would be expected to repeat the academic year. For senior students sitting the important baccalaureate exams, this would be a serious setback. In Gabon and elsewhere the threat of an "annee blanche" has in the past led to student unrest. -------------- Government Bids for Labor Peace -------------- ¶5. (U) In a related development, the government signed an accord May 27 with four union groups, promising to pay salaries that had been withheld during previous strikes in return for a promise by the unions not to go back on strike for the next 30 months. Four main trade unions participated in the signing including the Gabonese Confederation of Unions (COSYGA),the Democratic Confederation of Independent Unions (CDSA),the union for the local television channel RTG, and the union of the Social Security Administration (SYNA-CNSS). Noticeably absent from the signing was the teachers, union (CONSYSED) and the largest civil servant workers, union (USAP). Also not involved are key industrial sector union, including the main union for petroleum workers (ONEP). Similar previous accords between government, management and labor representatives have often broken down, according to a long-time observer of Gabonese labor issues. -------------- Comment LIBREVILLE 00000238 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The government is working to resolve the labor issue with the teachers as it realizes it can ill-afford the type of upheaval an "annee blanche" might prompt, especially with questions of the president's health and succession of power looming. Similar concerns have prompted the government to sue for peace with workers in other sectors. End Comment. REDDICK