Actualités of Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Source: africatime.com

Driver unions insist they will strike indefinitely on thursday

Driver Unions maintain that on Thursday, they would launch an "indefinite strike" following the decision of the Government taken last week to revise the price of fuel and domestic gas.

Originally scheduled for Monday, the strike has been shifted to thursday, explained the workers, "to give a chance for negotiations with the Government".

The Unions who are seeking purely and simply the cancelation of the increase, argue that if Governments do not yield to this claim "we will paralyze the country starting Thursday, and the Government will be held responsible for all consequences which may result."

Obviously, despite ongoing negotiations, the unions which have not accepted "rising petroleum products decided unilaterally by the Government" intend to bend the authorities.

These last have, among other accompanying measures, decided the reduction of 50 per cent of the amount of the withholding tax, from the parking fee and tax to the axle and the upgrading of the salaries of public officials, and from the beginning of the consultations for the appreciation of the minimum wage, which is currently 28,000 CFA francs.

While waiting for Thursday to come, activities are conducted normally, while taxis maintained the pressure to "at least", they say, pass the price of faire from 200 CFA francs to 250 CFA francs.

Following the increase since 1 July 2014 of the prices on oil products, super litre increased from 569 francs CFA to 650 CFA francs, per litre of diesel fuel from 520 CFA francs to 600 CFA francs and the gas cylinder of 12.5 kg from 6000 to 6500 francs CFA francs.

According to the Government, between 2008 and 2013, the grant for petroleum products cost 1200 billion CFA francs and for the first six months of the current year, 157 billion has been spent to ensure subsidy on fuel and household gas.