A total of 44 persons comprising of 22 staff representatives and their 22 alternates of the Port Authority of Douala, PAD, who are currently in charge of the Douala, Limbe and Kribi Ports, were, on June 27, officially installed into their functions, and told that one of their main missions is to defend the interests of all workers of these ports.

Speaking at the installation ceremony, which took place at ‘Club PAD’ in Bonanjo, Douala, the Deputy General Manager of PAD, Charles Michaut Moukoko Njoh said, contrary to what some people might think, the company’s management is happy to see that port workers have now elected persons who will serve as their spokespersons in discussions with management.

He said the PAD management, which was not involved in the organisation of the elections of the staff representatives, was happy with reports that the elections were free and fair and took place in an atmosphere of calm and serenity.

The Deputy General Manager reiterated to the elected staff representatives that with campaigns and elections now over, those of them who won the elections have a responsibility to defend the interests of all port workers, and not only those who voted for them. He insisted that the staff representatives will have to give their ears to all their colleagues, not only to listen to those they considered their supporters.

Importance Of Social Dialogue Moukoko Njoh stressed on the importance of social dialogue and peaceful climate in an enterprise, calling on all the staff representatives at PAD to always strive to give priority to dialogue with management whenever any issue arise, for the interest of both the workers and the company. He said the management of PAD attaches much importance to social dialogue, and thus will always be prepared to sit down on the table to discuss with the legal representatives of the workers, any important issue that arises.

With the election and installation of staff representatives, Njoh Moukoko also asserted that workers of PAD now have no legitimate reason to continue to go to ‘parliament’, to discuss issues concerning their working conditions or PAD. The place commonly known to workers at PAD as ‘parliament’ is the parking space close to the main entrance, gate, at the headquarters of the company in Bonanjo, Douala. In the absence of staff representatives, an increasing number of workers at PAD who were derogatorily referred to as ‘idlers’ by management, used to gather there to discuss working conditions and other issues in the company.

Meanwhile, the Deputy General Manager reminded all workers of PAD that seaports and river ports in Cameroon, as is the case in other countries, constitute a mirror of the country in the eyes of other countries or foreigners. He said this is why it is important for all workers to strive to nurture and manifest a strong spirit of rigour and moralisation in carrying out their work. He said all port workers should avoid strike actions and give priority to social dialogue especially now that they have elected the persons to legally and legitimately represent them in discussions with PAD management.

Staff Representatives As Models Speaking earlier at the ceremony, the representative of the Littoral Regional Delegate of Labour and Social Security explained that their institution conducted the elections at PAD in line with the Government circular that was issued to that effect.

She dwelled on the functions and importance of staff representatives in an enterprise and referred to them as the guarantors of the respect of the laws, other edicts and agreements that have to do with rights or interests of the workers of the enterprise. She said staff representatives in an enterprise also have the responsibility to sensitise the other workers on their rights and duties, and to also serve as models to the other workers.

The Labour official stated that staff representatives must have a mastery of the laws, official texts and agreements related to the rights and duties of workers of their sector or enterprise. She said, to be able to properly defend the rights or interests of workers, one has to, first of all, know what these rights or interests are, as legally stated; thus, the need for training.

Three Syndicates The first speaker at the occasion was the representative of the Director of Human Resources at PAD, who stated that the elections of the staff representatives took place on January 15, 2014, and that candidates for the hotly contested posts were presented by the three different legalised syndicates in the port sector in Cameroon. Thus, the new staff representatives at PAD belong to different syndicates.

It was also stated that the number of staff representatives were shared proportionately to all the different departments or sub-sectors in the port sector in Cameroon. It was as well stated that the staff representatives of the Limbe, Kribi and Douala Ports, working in the nation’s capital, Yaounde, were all elected at their different bases but had to travel to Douala for the installation ceremony.

Senior journalist, Nchechuma Banla Nchetievie, formerly with CRTV and currently in the Communication Service of PAD, is one of the new staff representatives in the State owned company.