VZCZCXRO3160
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0528 2591643
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151643Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2929
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000528 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV PHUM ASEC GV
SUBJECT: HEALTH UNIONS REFUSE TO BACK DOWN, LABOR STRIKE 
CONTINUES 
 
REF: A. CONAKRY 0440 
     ¶B. CONAKRY 0506 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Guinea's health unions have entered into 
the second week of a nationwide labor strike they resumed on 
September 8.  Unions leaders are refusing to back down, 
despite alleged "intimidation tactics" on the part of the 
government, because they are concerned that the government 
will not follow through on its promises.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Leaders of Guinea's health union FSPDS (Guinean 
Federation of Health Workers) are refusing to back down from 
the nationwide labor strike they resumed on September 8. 
FSPDS Secretary General Pierrette Tolno told Pol LES on 
September 11 that the strike will continue until President 
Conte signs a health statute, which was one of the terms of 
the agreement negotiated on August 11.  She said that the GoG 
lacks the political will to satisfy the union's demands, 
which is why the strike must continue. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Union contacts report that they are under 
significant pressure from the Guinean Government to call off 
the strike.  According to Secretary General Tolno, the GoG 
has already resorted to "intimidation tactics," but the union 
members are not afraid.  Daouda Conde, a member of the FSPDS 
Executive Bureau, told Pol LES that several union members 
have been receiving verbal threats from the Director of the 
Central Communal Medical Center.  As of September 15, the 
Ministry of Health reportedly planned to send out inspectors 
to conduct a "roll call," in order to record the names of 
health workers who have not reported to work.  Conde told Pol 
LES that striking union members have started to express 
concern that they will be dismissed or transferred from their 
posts, or that their salaries will be docked. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The Minister of Health appeared on national 
television on September 10 stating that the statute is on the 
president's desk awaiting his signature.  She encouraged 
patients to go to the military hospital at Camp Samory Toure 
for treatment. 
 
¶5.  (U) Health workers continue to maintain emergency 
services at select hospitals and clinics.  Private health 
facilities continue to operate as normal. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6.  (SBU) This is the first time in the union's history that 
a labor strike has exceeded a week in duration due to the 
sensitive nature of the services provided.  Unions leaders 
seem to feel that if they back down in the face of government 
pressure, the government will not follow through on its 
promises.  END COMMENT. 
BROKENSHIRE