VZCZCXRO5079
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHLC #0238/01 1481547
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281547Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1169
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LIBREVILLE 000238 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS AND LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
KINSHASA PLEASE ALSO PASS BRAZZAVILLE 
NDJAMENA PLEASE ALSO PASS BANGUI 
AF/C PLEASE ALSO PASS MALABO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ELAB KDEM PGOV PINR SOCI GB
SUBJECT: GABONESE TEACHERS POSTPONE STRIKE AS GOVERNMENT 
APPEALS FOR LABOR CALM 
 
REF: A. LIBREVILLE 232 
     ¶B. 08 LIBREVILE 229 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (U) Acting to avoid a debilitating teacher's strike (Ref. 
A), the Gabonese Government finally delivered a long-promised 
salary supplement on May 28.  However, the main teachers' 
union warned that a strike is still possible if the 
government fails to pay 2000-5000 teachers who still have not 
yet received their bonuses because of alleged clerical 
errors.  Public school students in Gabon have so far missed 
about half the academic year due to teachers' strikes, and 
further labor action could force some students to miss 
critical baccalaureate exams--and possibly provoke student 
unrest.  The teachers' union says it will make a decision 
about whether to go back on strike on May 30.  In a related 
development, the government signed an accord with labor 
unions in the administrative and broadcasting sectors 
promising no strikes or other labor unrest for 30 months. 
The teachers' union was conspicuously absent from the accord, 
which in any case may not hold up.  Despite its financial 
difficulties, the Gabonese Government is spending heavily to 
try to achieve labor peace during a tense time of potential 
political transition.  And the unions are not hesitant to 
press their advantage.  End Summary. 
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Decision to Strike Postponed 
---------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Gabon's main teachers' union CONASYSED (a French 
acronym) threatened to go out on strike May 25 if the 
Government of Gabon had not paid a long-promised salary 
supplement by that time (Ref. A).  The government agreed to 
the increased payments in a January 13 meeting between 
government and union representatives, presided over by 
President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba.  The supplemental 
payments were not provided on May 25 as promised, and most 
teachers walked out.  Using full page newspaper ads and other 
mechanisms, however, the government promised that the 
payments would soon be released, and the majority of the 
estimated 40,000 eligible teachers got their money on May 28. 
 Between May 25 and May 27 schools were open, with 
administrators present but few or no teachers. 
 
¶3. (U) Many teachers, however, have not yet been paid the 
supplment due to what the government claims is a "clerical 
error."  The government claims 2000 teachers have not yet 
received the supplemental, while the teachers' union claims 
upwards of 5000.  The teachers' union has called for a 
general assembly of its membership May 30 to assess whether 
the remaining teachers have been paid, and decide whether or 
not to go back on strike. 
 
¶4. (U) Further labor action in the education sector would 
have serious national consequences.  Because of the number of 
days lost to strikes so far this year, all students would be 
expected to repeat the academic year.  For senior students 
sitting the important baccalaureate exams, this would be a 
serious setback.  In Gabon and elsewhere the threat of an 
"annee blanche" has in the past led to student unrest. 
 
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Government Bids for Labor Peace 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) In a related development, the government signed an 
accord May 27 with four union groups, promising to pay 
salaries that had been withheld during previous strikes in 
return for a promise by the unions not to go back on strike 
for the next 30 months.  Four main trade unions participated 
in the signing including the Gabonese Confederation of Unions 
(COSYGA), the Democratic Confederation of Independent Unions 
(CDSA), the union for the local television channel RTG, and 
the union of the Social Security Administration (SYNA-CNSS). 
Noticeably absent from the signing was the teachers, union 
(CONSYSED) and the largest civil servant workers, union 
(USAP).  Also not involved are key industrial sector union, 
including the main union for petroleum workers (ONEP). 
Similar previous accords between government, management and 
labor representatives have often broken down, according to a 
long-time observer of Gabonese labor issues. 
 
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Comment 
 
LIBREVILLE 00000238  002 OF 002 
 
 
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¶6. (SBU) The government is working to resolve the labor issue 
with the teachers as it realizes it can ill-afford the type 
of upheaval an "annee blanche" might prompt, especially with 
questions of the president's health and succession of power 
looming.  Similar concerns have prompted the government to 
sue for peace with workers in other sectors.  End Comment. 
REDDICK