VZCZCXRO4544
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0300 1480804
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280804Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3708
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000300 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB PGOV ASEC GV
SUBJECT: TAXI DRIVERS RETURN TO WORK 
 
REF: CONAKRY 292 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Taxi drivers ended a one-day strike on May 27 
and returned to work this morning.  An agreement was 
negotiated last night with CNDD President Dadis that 
significantly lowered a road tax and adjusted passenger load 
restrictions. Dadis' handling of the strike sets a troubling 
precedent and strikingly echoes the methods of late President 
Conte. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
---------------------------- 
AGREEMENT REACHED WITH DADIS 
---------------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) Conakry's streets were clogged with taxis this 
morning as taxi drivers ended their one-day strike after 
coming to agreement with CNDD President Moussa Dadis Camara 
last night (reftel). A contact in Guinea's transportation 
union (OUSA-CNTG) told Embassy LES that taxi drivers met with 
Dadis during the night and agreed to return to work when 
Dadis declared that the annual "road tax" -- that was 
recently raised by the CNDD to 300,000 GnF ($61.22)-- would 
now be reduced to 100,000 GnF ($20.00). In addition, taxis 
are now limited to only one passenger in the front and four 
in the back. Despite the new agreement, the majority of taxis 
on the road this morning had two passengers squeezed into the 
front passenger seat. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The union contact told Embassy LES that she was 
disappointed in the negotiation process and in the tenuous 
nature of the agreement which she feared could be reversed at 
any time.  She complained that there was no serious 
consultation with the taxi drivers or with other Cabinet 
officials. Dadis, claiming that his father was a former taxi 
driver, simply pronounced the new road tax and passenger 
configuration. In a scene reminiscent of many other public 
appearances, Dadis reportedly first announced to the taxi 
drivers that he would lower the road tax to 150,000 GnF. 
Following the crowd's wild applause, Dadis then lowered the 
tax even further to 100,000 GnF -- half of what private 
vehicles pay. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT. By reaching a quick agreement with the taxi 
drivers, Dadis wins. Taxi drivers received a substantial 
reduction in the road tax, while new passenger load rules 
that would limit income and increase safety are already being 
ignored. Violence was avoided and the city is back in motion. 
However, a troubling paradigm has now been established -- one 
that strikingly echoes former President Conte's methods in 
which he unilaterally pronounced decisions at the last minute 
that settled disputes, but did not address systemic problems. 
According to some sources, the teachers may be the next to 
strike before the academic year ends in June. If that 
happens, Dadis may soon find himself once again negotiating 
alone with a special interest group on the brink of upheaval. 
END COMMENT. 
RASPOLIC