They had a contact meeting with the Minister of Labour and Social Security last Friday in Yaounde. In a bid to maintain social cohesion, particularly at workplaces, members of the Cameroon Confederation of Free Trade Unions (CCFTU) last Friday January 20, had their first contact meeting with the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Grégoire Owona during which they denounced many issues affecting the proper functioning of trade unions in Cameroon such as their status which is not well known to many employers. For over two hours, Grégoire Owona listened to the representatives of trade unions in the country during a meeting which he said was for him to discover and dialogue over the current preoccupations of trade unions at the moment, so as to preserve peace at workplaces.

Grégoire Owona acknowledged that there are many problems faced by workers and it is their legitimate right to complain. So too is the legitimate right of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and trade unions to maintain peace and serenity which, according to Mr Owona, should not be done in a disorderly manner. “The government is carrying out constant measures in ensuring that the demands of workers get lasting solutions. But trade unionists need to always strive for a balance in dealing with workers’ rights,” Grégoire Owona noted.  

One of the trade union leaders, Longin Bedziga Eyebe, said some employers vehemently refuse the functioning of trade unions within their enterprise as well as the role of a personnel delegate. Longin Eyebe lamented that their role is not well known in the society and some employers only call them when problems are out of control and not at the start. Trade unionists also regretted the fact that even when solutions to problems are negotiated and a collective convention signed between employers and employees, some of the clauses are never respected. Such is the case with the hospital sector where the trade unionist concerned said the provision of certain benefits is still limited to senior staff in the sector and not to everybody as stipulated in a collective convention.

When the current crisis at the Mbandjock sugar factory was raised by a trade unionist, Minister Grégoire Owona said the problem is already getting out of control and the trade unionists concerned need to urgently dialogue for a coherent solution. The Labour boss said with trade unions, dialogue will not only be effective but permanent and that it will not be enough to calm problems at workplaces but to solve them completely.