VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAB #1003 2701504
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271504Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3570
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0466
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0851
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 001003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/W-EPLUMB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELAB PGOV IV
SUBJECT:  COTE D IVOIRE FINES STRIKING PHYSICIANS 
 
REF: ABIDJAN 969 
 
¶1. (U) The Government of Cote d Ivoire decided on September 20 to 
suspend the September salary of the leaders of the  union 
representing physicians, the Syndicat National des Cadres Superieurs 
de la Santede Cote d Ivoire (SYNACASS-CI), which organized a strike 
by public sector physicians September 4-13 (See reftel).  Physicians 
and trainees who went on strike will have their salaries reduced by 
half this month. The government said the union's behavior was in 
violation of strike procedures that provide for the provision of 
minimum services in the public sector during strikes.  The 
government has also warned that any similar actions in the future 
will result in dismissal of civil servants. 
¶2. (SBU) The government's decisive attitude in addressing the 
physicians' strike was replicated in recent days in its firm stance 
to successfully avert a strike by court clerks.  A strike by the 
clerks would have derailed the "audiences foraines" (tribunals to 
issue birth certificates to those who never had them or lost them) 
process that began September 25 and which is a crucial step in 
implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Accord.  Both groups of 
strikers seem to have understood that the government has come 
together and is willing to use rolling dismissals to prevail.  In 
coming weeks, observers will closely watch whether the united stance 
adopted by the President and Prime Minister in addressing strikes 
manifests itself in other instances. 
 
AKUETTEH