Cameroon : Hysacam drops her tools over unpaid arrears

The Hygiene and Sanitation Company dawned their beach duty equipment such as trucks, Caterpillars and general cleaners today, the 12 of March, 2018 over unpaid arrears. This strike action is aimed at putting pressure to bear on the state of Cameroon, so that these unpaid arrears can be cleared.

The two months of unpaid arrears makes work cumbrous and challenging because it's with money that the cleaning of the city is facilitated. These workers went to the head quarters today as early as 5am. " we do the very challenging and assiduously and our work must be valued" We breath in stinking and smelling odour, which is nauseating throughout the day.

We must not be taken for desperado and garbage. No truck shall leave for work today without salaries paid" declared Nestor, one of the workers of Hysacam. It must be noted that it was a peaceful demonstration on the street leading to the headquarters and they weren't blocked. Besides the two months unpaid arrears, the workers also complained about a very long history of irregular payment of salaries, rents,unpaid family allowances,health insurance and other mutual benefits according to Roger Nchoungou Njoundap, one of the staff delegates.

This strike action was carried out without the notifying the employer. According to the trade unionist, it was just a spontaneous reaction of workers who have gone for months without their salaries. A very urgent staff meeting was called for at 5pm by the Director of the Douala branch office. " The employers aren't happy with the attitude of the workers because the Company is going through a very difficult moment.

We are going to go through the third month without salaries. Nevertheless the staff representatives are going to explain to them the procedure. The employers assessed that the procedure is too slow and too long" Work generally got halted this morning" when there was too much work to be done. The Staff representatives collectively wrote a letter the Branch Manager on the 9th of March, 2018,expressing the difficulties that workers go through.

The Branch manager promised informing the General Manager ( Michel Ngapanoun. The General Manager admitted only owing one month of salary arrears and has refused to comment on the issue of the strike before holding a crisis meeting was held a few hours letter.