By Doh James Sonkey and Simon Kalla Ndive
Cameroon’s leading opposition political party, the Social Democratic Front, SDF, organised last May 11 to 13, 2023 a workshop in Kribi that brought together 20 leaders drawn from national trade union confederations, federations and unions to look at Cameroon’s labour issues, their shared interests and together, find ways to collaborate and seek solutions.
The main conclusion as seen in what is known as the Kribi Declaration issued at the end of the meeting, was the creation of the Cameroon Labour Movement, CALAMO.
The workshop deliberations described by participants as rich, frank and courteous enabled them to establish a working platform between the Trade Union Confederations and the Social Democratic Front.
The SDF and various union stakeholders at the meeting, in a statement released after the meeting, said deliberations centered on the economic and psychosocial situation of workers in Cameroon, the role played by trade unions, the political commitment of trade union movements, a brief historical review, the social policy of the SDF, what place and what solutions for the worker, considering the objectives of this workshop; considering the constraints of the UN Sustainable Development Goals; covenant on Civil and Political Rights; having regard to resolution 1952 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the independence of trade union movement.
The parties said after examining the challenges and constraints that could hinder the achievement of their shared common objectives, they agreed on a five-point program:
“1-Welcome the ideological convergence and points of view on the challenges of a collaboration between the two parties; 2- Decide to create a platform for sustainable collaboration between the two parties called “CAMEROON LABOUR MOVEMENT (CALAMO)” with a view to pooling their skills and capacities, their actions and their resources, 3- Undertake to establish a political platform for the future; 4- Adopt the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation mechanism for collaboration and undertake to make it operational; 5- Decide that the Cameroon Labour Movement (CALAMO) platform remains open to all organizations sharing the values of social democracy.”
After what the attendees described as frank discussions, they agreed on a five-point program which included the formation of CALAMO as a working platform.
Reacting to The SUN, Cameroon Alliance Worker Trade Union, CAAWOTU Gabriel Mbene Vefonge said It is a ground breaking story. He added that it has never happened in Cameroon.
“Such Alliances exist in France, Germany, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa between the Trade Unions especially with Political Parties of the left.” Gabriel Mbene added.
Signatories to the statement referred to as the Kribi Declaration included SDF’s First Vice President Hon. Joshua Osih Nabangi, President of the Confederation Entente, Benoit Essiga, Secretary General of USLC, Rose Ndjie SHE, Belibi Belibi Leopold of the FSTIC, the Secretary General of SNAEF, Owona Amougu Chamberlin, Essomba Onana Charles of SNTIAAC, Gouanfo Innocent of SYNIMAC, Nguetsop Jean Marie of SYNITRAJEDAH, Tsayem Akuete of SYNAEEPCAM and other leaders of the 20 national trade union confederations, federations and unions.