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OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0747/01 1581721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071721Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9234
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//POLAD/J2//

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 CONAKRY 000747 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
TREASURY FOR OFFICE OF AFRICAN NATIONS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12598:  N/A 
TAGS: ELAB ECON PGOV SOCI ASEC CASC GV
SUBJECT: GUINEA'S UNIONS COMMIT TO STRIKE, CLAIM THE 
GOVERNMENT IS NOT NEGOTIATING 
 
REF: (A) CONAKRY 721, (B) CONAKRY 671 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (SBU) Guinea's labor union coalition has issued a formal 
call for an open-ended general strike to begin June 8.  In a 
meeting June 6 with AF/W Director Phil Carter, 
representatives from the USTG and CNTG said the government 
has "disappeared" from negotiations.  Ironically, after 
signing their strike statement June 6, certain senior union 
leaders left the country for Geneva to join colleagues 
attending an international labor conference. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The union leaders appeared united in their 
grievances and their commitment to launching the strike. 
However, they differed on whether their ultimate goal is 
regime change.  Their positions reflect the generally more 
radical views of USTG membership.  At this point, it appears 
government efforts to delay a strike have failed, barring a 
last-minute intervention by President Conte.  While the 
unions' plans are peaceful, the potential exists violent 
protest in this atmosphere of frustration and economic 
misery.  End Summary. 
 
----------------------------- 
CALL FOR STRIKE ISSUED JUNE 6 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) After all-day meetings on June 6, the USTG-CNTG 
union coalition released its formal strike notification 
(avis de greve) to the government of Guinea.  It calls for a 
general strike of indeterminate duration to begin June 8 
across Guinea.  The unions have asked all workers to join in 
sympathy, including those in the informal sector.  The 
support of the informal sector in the five-day strike that 
ended March 3 ensured the success of that historic event. 
 
¶4.  (U) The strike notice lists several grievances and 
reflects the language of the document prepared for President 
Lansana Conte after negotiations with the government began 
last week (ref A).  Along with complaints about Guinea's 
dire economic condition and workers' inability to afford the 
basic necessities, the main points are: 
 
-- Raises given to government workers in 2006 have been 
offset by corresponding increases in gasoline prices. 
 
-- The government's decision to raise gasoline prices was 
unilateral, which violated the March protocol that ended the 
five-day strike. 
 
-- Only four of the 20 points agreed to in that March 
protocol have been enacted, either partially or completely. 
 
¶5.  (U) In a document prepared for President Conte (ref A), 
unions provided more specific demands to avoid a strike:  to 
cut fuel taxes in order to reduce gasoline prices from 5500 
Guinea Francs/liter ($1.09/liter) to 4350 GF/liter 
($0.87/liter), to fix rice prices at 70,000 GF per 50 
kilogram sack (a 36% reduction in price, requiring an 
unanticipated subsidy from the government).  The unions also 
called for another 25% raise in salaries and an increase in 
their transportation subsidy. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) After signing the strike notice on June 6, certain 
union leaders, including USTG figures Ibrahima Fofana and 
Louis M'Bembeh Soumah, boarded a plane for Europe, 
ostensibly to attend a labor conference in Geneva.  Many 
senior CNTG figures are already there.  The unions believe 
they have enough negotiators left to meet with the 
government, if the government responds to their demands. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
Unions Doubt Government Will to Engage or Compromise 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In a meeting held a few hours before the strike 
announcement, two members of the USTG-CNTG union coalition 
met with visiting AF/W Director Phil Carter.  The meeting 
provided a chance to hear their perspectives on negotiations 
with the government, to gauge their commitment to the latest 
strike, and to challenge some of their economic views. 
Yamoussa Toure represented the CNTG, and Louis M'Bembeh 
 
CONAKRY 00000747  002 OF 003 
 
 
Soumah represented the USTG.  Toure was the CNTG signatory 
to the strike notice released later in the day.  Soumah was 
one of the two senior USTG figures to leave Guinea after 
issuing the strike call. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The union leaders indicated that many of the 
points in their latest proposal to the government are a 
point of departure for negotiations, not necessarily fixed 
demands.  Toure said that certain compromises on these 
issues could still avoid the strike, or at least prompt 
union leadership to consult the rank and file.  The union 
leaders said they doubt the government will return with an 
offer at this late date.  After presenting the new Minister 
of Employment and Civil Service (essentially Labor) with 
their proposition on June 5, the union leaders said both she 
and President Conte "disappeared".  They have had no 
response to their demands. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Union Goals: Economic Change or Regime Change? 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Toure and Soumah appeared both resigned and 
committed to the upcoming strike.  The only division between 
them appeared to be their ultimate goal.  USTG 
representative Soumah made it clear that only a change in 
government will lead Guinea out of its economic crisis. 
Soumah said the government cannot take concrete actions and 
that the system itself is not functional.  Toure was more 
moderate and said concessions from the government could 
avoid the strike.  He strongly defended the union movement 
as apolitical, claiming that their only concern is the well- 
being of Guinea's workers. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) The union leaders agreed that the government does 
not have the political will to manage the economy.  They 
said that the unions and the government have been in a 
holding pattern for fifteen years of union demands, 
agreements with the administration, and broken promises. 
They acknowledged that the government does not have the 
resources to meet their demands, but charged that 
mismanagement, corruption, and impunity are at the root of 
the problem.  The unions have low regard for this new 
government and are holding them personally responsible for 
delivering concrete results.  They said that, this time, 
they would not accept empty promises. 
 
---------------------------------- 
Momentum is Building Across Guinea 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) The union leaders claimed they will have no 
trouble sustaining an unlimited strike, saying they have 
nothing to lose.  They said the average worker can barely 
afford food, let alone pay for transport, housing, 
telephone, water, electricity or other services.  They have 
mobilized their members in the interior and said that in 
cities across Guinea, everyone is just waiting for the word 
for them to begin their strike.  The leaders told us that 
students are organizing independently and have demanded an 
increase in their monthly stipends paid by the government. 
Many believe the unions are taking advantage of the 
beginning of exam period to launch their action.  If the 
students are prevented from taking their exams, they are 
likely to be more frustrated and eager to incite violence. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Political party leaders acknowledged in a 
separate meeting June 7 that they were maintaining close 
contact with the unions.  Contrary to earlier comments to 
us, the party heads said they would encourage their 
militants to stay at home, at least for the first day or 
two.  On June 9, they plan to meet again with the unions, 
review the government's response, if any, and, at that 
point, determine if any additional action would be 
appropriate. 
 
¶13. (SBU) Post Emergency Action Committee (EAC) met 
afternoon of June 7 (septel) and agreed on a warden message 
for American citizens and an internal security notice with 
the same information.  We expect the strike to be widely 
respected June 8.  The last strike was relatively peaceful, 
but frustrations are higher now.  We are monitoring the 
situation closely. 
 
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Comment 
 
CONAKRY 00000747  003 OF 003 
 
 
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¶14.  (SBU) The unions and government are once again on a 
collision course.  Although the most charismatic union 
leaders are now all outside of Guinea, there seems to be 
sufficient momentum fueled from below to sustain the effort 
for a while.  However, given the day-to-day nature of 
survival for most people, it may be hard to sustain a strike 
indefinitely.  At the same time, the difficulties most 
Guineans face have increased the pressure and frustration, 
and violence is possible.  If major street protests occur, 
it will be the first major test for many of Guinea's new 
ministers.  The Ambassador and visiting AF/W Director 
Phillip Carter cautioned Foreign Minister Mamady Conte on 
June 7 against a repressive, heavy-handed governmental 
response to the strike. 
 
McDONALD