After several days of negotiation, the Cameroonian Government, the representatives of employers and trade union workers finally succeeded on July 17, 2014 to reach a consensus on the level of increase in the guaranteed minimum inter-occupational wage (SMIG) in the country.

According to authorized sources at the Ministry of labour and social security, the minimum wage in Cameroon is expected to move from 28,000 Cfa francs to 36,270 Cfa francs, an increase of 8,000 Cfa francs.

The different parties involved believed that it is only left to formalize this increase by regulatory means.

However, this increase is well below the 150,000 francs Cfa proposed by a coalition of 12 central unions, or better still the 62,000 Cfa francs finally proposed by workers representatives during the negotiations.

Employers, we learn, remained stuck with 36,270 francs which is to say close to 1,000 francs Cfa added to 35,000francs Cfa giving rise to the amount finally endorsed by the various parties.

As a reminder, this revaluation of SMIG in Cameroon is due to a promise made by the Government, parallel to the increase in the prices of petroleum products in Cameroon on June 30, 2014.