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O 181608Z JUL 08 
FM AMEMBASSY ABIDJAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4387
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000475 
 
BT 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC ECON ELAB AMGT IV
SUBJECT: GENERAL STRIKE LARGELY SUCCESSFUL; NEGOTIATIONS 
WITH GOVERNMENT UNDERWAY 
 
REF: A. ABIDJAN 467 
     ¶B. ABIDJAN 452 
     ¶C. ABDIDJAN 214 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  The members of UGTCI, the country's largest 
federation of unions, overwhelmingly observed its call for a 
general strike on July 17 and 18 to call for salary increases 
in response to the gas price hike, following some initial 
confusion. Taxi and mini-bus transporters maintained their 
strike throughout the week, to protest increases in gas 
prices.  The government responded quickly to the strikes by 
meeting with union representatives on July 17 and 18.  A 
meeting of senior government officials, presided over by the 
Prime Minister, has been scheduled for July 19 to examine the 
situation and make recommendations to an extraordinary 
session of the Council of Ministers, presided over by the 
President, scheduled for Sunday, July 20. 
 
Union Activity 
-------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Strikes in the transport sector in reaction to 
increases in gas prices continued on July 17 and 18, mostly 
in Abidjan's working class neighborhoods.  Representatives of 
transportation unions met with President Gbagbo the evening 
of July 16 and later called for their workers to return to 
work while negotiations with the government were ongoing. 
Despite this call most minibus and taxi drivers remained on 
strike.  There are many transport unions and they are not 
unified under a strong confederation.  Interior Minister 
Tagro reportedly met on July 17 with representatives of 
transport worker unions who had not participated in the 
meeting with President Gbagbo.  Public bus transport remained 
available in most parts of the city, except for the Abobo 
district where residents physically impeded buses from 
entering the zone. 
 
¶3. (U) The General Union of Workers of Cote d'Ivoire, UGTCI, 
general strike was generally observed. (There was some 
initial confusion on July 17 due to the fact that the 
transport union leaders asked their followers to return to 
work.) According to the UGTCI, its call for a strike was 
observed by 98 percent of its members in Abidjan and 86 
percent outside of the city.  Since UGTCI represents workers 
in both the public and private sectors, both government 
offices and private businesses were affected by the strike. 
UGTCI met with Interior Minister Desire Tagro on July 17 and 
was to draft concrete proposals that it would present to 
Tagro that evening.  UGTCI plans to hold a general assembly 
on July 19 to assess the results of the strike and decide on 
a future course of action. 
 
Government Response 
------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) As with the demonstrations against increases in food 
prices (Reftel C), the government has responded quickly.  The 
Prime Minister was scheduled to have three meetings on July 
18; one with consumers' associations; another with the three 
confederations of workers' unions, of which UGTCI is one; and 
a meeting with all associations of transport vehicle owners 
and drivers. 
 
¶5. (U) A Council of Government meeting, which is presided 
over by the Prime Minister and attended by all Ministers and, 
as appropriate, by their top aides, has been scheduled for 
July 19 to examine strikers' demands.  The decisions and 
recommendations reached at the Council of Government meeting 
will then be examined at a Council of Ministers meeting on 
July 20, which is presided over by the President and attended 
only by the Prime Minister,  Ministers, and the Secretary 
General of the government, who acts as notetaker. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Although the government is eager to see the strikes 
end, budgetary constraints will make the salary increases 
called for by the UGTCI difficult.  Responses that the 
government might consider to lessen the effects of the 
public's shrinking wallets include an increase in workers' 
transportation allowances or other fringe benefits, a small 
reduction in the increase of gas prices, or establishment of 
a special fund for development of the transport sector. 
Abidjan residents are hopeful that the July 19-20 meetings 
will result in a solution that all parties can accept. 
 
Security 
------- 
 
¶7. (U) This week's strikes have not been accompanied by 
significant violence and major roads have not been blocked. 
In some neighborhoods, residents threw rocks at public buses 
and taxis that defied the strike, but private vehicles have 
been able to circulate without difficulty. 
NESBITT