Some 17 workers’ unions in the South West Region, drawing from formal and informal sectors, have constituted a Regional Coalition of Decent Work Trade Unions. The coalition saw the light of day recently in Buea following a one-day workshop on decent work organised by a committee headed by Gabriel Mbene Vefonge, a renowned unionist based in Tiko.

The first outcome of the coalition was the adoption of October 7 every year to commemorate decent work. According to the unionists, the meaning of decent work includes livelihood jobs that are first available, then acceptable, productive and sustainable.

Vefonge told the press at the meeting ground that they were embarking, without delay, on a tour of the region to meet employers and employees for sensitization and to set up decent work structures in various companies. He said the Buea constituent meeting, coming after a national platform, was in compliance with the May 2012 decision by the Minister of Labour and Social Security on the creation, organisation and functioning of a tripartite committee to pilot a decent work programme in Cameroon (CPPTD) with representation from over 12 government ministries.

More than 60 workers representing the various unions from the six administrative Divisions of the South West Region were on hand for the workshop that resulted in the formation of the regional coalition (or platform). Four discourses were presented at the workshop, notably “Social Relations and the Concept of Decent Work,” “The Freedom of Association and the Concept of Decent Work,” “The Importance of Workers Education in a Decent Work Country,” and “The Improvement Of Labour Relations To Make Decent Work A Reality In The South West Region.” From the lectures, the notions of rights and responsibilities were highlighted and that work must generate adequate income with adequate social protection.

Forteck Aloysius Betangah, a Curriculum Studies and Teaching Expert, underscored what he termed inseparable, inter-related and mutually-supportive pillars of work such as creating jobs, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection and promoting social dialogue.

He explained that the expression “decent work” was introduced by the Director General of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Juan Somavia in 1999 at the 87th International Labour Conference. Somavia defined decent work to embrace social progress as a globally-acceptable goal and instrument for improving the lives of people.

In another fascinating lecture, Mbene Vefonge underscored the necessity for workers to network and liaise for mutual protection and conflict-solving. He stressed that good unionists should never destroy public property in the name of protesting for rights.