Cameroon
19.07.02
Urgent Interventions
Cameroon: arbitrary dismissal of workers on the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project
OPEN LETTER TO PAUL BIYA
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
Geneva, July 19th 2002
Mr. President,
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the arbitrary dismissal of 12 workers and of the suspension of 9 workers’ representatives by Doba Logistics one of the main contractors for construction work on the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project co-funded by the World Bank.
It is reported that the suspensions and dismissals of the workers by Doba Logistics occurred on May 14 2002, after their strike action against the non-application of the collective agreement signed with Doba Logistics in March 2002. This first collective agreement represented a victory for the workers and encouraged workers in other companies to negotiate collective agreements.
Moreover, according to the information received, the workers’ representative and inter-state coordinator for trade union follow-up in the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project, Mr. Bro. Mbaga, was dismissed in June 2002 from Labogénie due to his trade union activities in Cameroon. He is specifically accused of wanting to deteriorate the image and functioning of the company. Additional sanctions were taken against Mr. Mbaga, including 6 months wage arrears and non-payment of benefits.
The oil development and export project on which these workers were employed is developed by a consortium of multinational companies (Exxon Mobil, Petronas and Chevron) and consists in drilling approximately 300 oil wells in the Doba Bassin of Chad and in laying a 1,070 kilometer-long pipeline through Chad and Cameroon to an exporting dock off of the coast of Kribi. The three multinational companies created two joint-venture pipeline companies to operate the project, COTCO (Cameroon Oil Transportation Company) and TOTCO (Tchad-Oil Transportation Company), in which the States of Chad and Cameroon hold minority interests. Loans were provided by the World Bank to finance the project, and the main contractors for the construction work are Doba Logistics S.A (SDV), David Terrassement (Bouygues), Satom S.A (Sogea), Subsahara Services Inc (KBC), and Willbross & SPIE-Capag. The state owned company Labogénie is also involved in the project.
In this respect, we would like to recall to your attention that at the beginning of the construction activities in November 2000, the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW) assisted workers in the start of a social dialogue between COTCO, TOTCO, the World Bank and the unions. In December 2000, an IFBWW delegation visited the construction sites. The delegation received many complaints from the workers concerning bad wages and working conditions, and the lack of adequate housing and food. The IFBWW has been urging the General Director of COTCO to enter into a social dialogue that should lead to collective bargaining on wages and working conditions. However, this was refused several times. During the year 2001, workers went on strike at several construction sites. Workers’ demands to the consortium were mainly including decent wages, the end of discrimination between whites and blacks employees in the project; access of workers to their contract forms; a campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS; and the respect of freedom of association. It is reported that COTCO and the World Bank never reacted to these requests. IFBWW affiliates decided to impose an ultimatum by 31 December 2001 calling on the consortium to immediately improve the working conditions and to provide workers with decent salaries as well as to enter into a social dialogue without delay. On 3 January 2002, the Minister of Labour invited COTCO, TOTCO, the World Bank and the trade unions to negotiate a special project agreement and established an ad hoc committee to further analyse this special project agreement, which should include all the workers’ claims. It is reported that the collective agreement finally signed in March 2002 has not been enforced. Consequently the workers went on strike, which resulted in the dismissals and suspensions mentioned above.
As a State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, your government is bound to respect, protect and fulfil the rights enshrined in this Covenant, including: the right to form and join trade unions, the right to strike, the right to work and the right of workers to enjoy safe and healthy conditions of work and to receive a remuneration which provides them with a decent living for themselves and their families.
In this respect, and under the principle of due diligence, the government of Cameroon shall guarantee that the activities of Doba Logistics and Labogénie do not infringe the full and real implementation of human rights and labour standards, and takes any measures necessary to reinstate the dismissed or suspended workers and to ensure the respect of the collective agreement.
Finally, OMCT hopes that your government will take all measures needed to guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the ILO Conventions No. 87 and 98 protecting the right to organise and join trade unions.
We thank you for your careful consideration of this matter and remain,
Sincerely yours,
Eric Sottas
Director
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
Geneva, July 19th 2002
Mr. President,
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the arbitrary dismissal of 12 workers and of the suspension of 9 workers’ representatives by Doba Logistics one of the main contractors for construction work on the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project co-funded by the World Bank.
It is reported that the suspensions and dismissals of the workers by Doba Logistics occurred on May 14 2002, after their strike action against the non-application of the collective agreement signed with Doba Logistics in March 2002. This first collective agreement represented a victory for the workers and encouraged workers in other companies to negotiate collective agreements.
Moreover, according to the information received, the workers’ representative and inter-state coordinator for trade union follow-up in the Chad-Cameroon Oil Pipeline Project, Mr. Bro. Mbaga, was dismissed in June 2002 from Labogénie due to his trade union activities in Cameroon. He is specifically accused of wanting to deteriorate the image and functioning of the company. Additional sanctions were taken against Mr. Mbaga, including 6 months wage arrears and non-payment of benefits.
The oil development and export project on which these workers were employed is developed by a consortium of multinational companies (Exxon Mobil, Petronas and Chevron) and consists in drilling approximately 300 oil wells in the Doba Bassin of Chad and in laying a 1,070 kilometer-long pipeline through Chad and Cameroon to an exporting dock off of the coast of Kribi. The three multinational companies created two joint-venture pipeline companies to operate the project, COTCO (Cameroon Oil Transportation Company) and TOTCO (Tchad-Oil Transportation Company), in which the States of Chad and Cameroon hold minority interests. Loans were provided by the World Bank to finance the project, and the main contractors for the construction work are Doba Logistics S.A (SDV), David Terrassement (Bouygues), Satom S.A (Sogea), Subsahara Services Inc (KBC), and Willbross & SPIE-Capag. The state owned company Labogénie is also involved in the project.
In this respect, we would like to recall to your attention that at the beginning of the construction activities in November 2000, the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW) assisted workers in the start of a social dialogue between COTCO, TOTCO, the World Bank and the unions. In December 2000, an IFBWW delegation visited the construction sites. The delegation received many complaints from the workers concerning bad wages and working conditions, and the lack of adequate housing and food. The IFBWW has been urging the General Director of COTCO to enter into a social dialogue that should lead to collective bargaining on wages and working conditions. However, this was refused several times. During the year 2001, workers went on strike at several construction sites. Workers’ demands to the consortium were mainly including decent wages, the end of discrimination between whites and blacks employees in the project; access of workers to their contract forms; a campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS; and the respect of freedom of association. It is reported that COTCO and the World Bank never reacted to these requests. IFBWW affiliates decided to impose an ultimatum by 31 December 2001 calling on the consortium to immediately improve the working conditions and to provide workers with decent salaries as well as to enter into a social dialogue without delay. On 3 January 2002, the Minister of Labour invited COTCO, TOTCO, the World Bank and the trade unions to negotiate a special project agreement and established an ad hoc committee to further analyse this special project agreement, which should include all the workers’ claims. It is reported that the collective agreement finally signed in March 2002 has not been enforced. Consequently the workers went on strike, which resulted in the dismissals and suspensions mentioned above.
As a State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, your government is bound to respect, protect and fulfil the rights enshrined in this Covenant, including: the right to form and join trade unions, the right to strike, the right to work and the right of workers to enjoy safe and healthy conditions of work and to receive a remuneration which provides them with a decent living for themselves and their families.
In this respect, and under the principle of due diligence, the government of Cameroon shall guarantee that the activities of Doba Logistics and Labogénie do not infringe the full and real implementation of human rights and labour standards, and takes any measures necessary to reinstate the dismissed or suspended workers and to ensure the respect of the collective agreement.
Finally, OMCT hopes that your government will take all measures needed to guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the ILO Conventions No. 87 and 98 protecting the right to organise and join trade unions.
We thank you for your careful consideration of this matter and remain,
Sincerely yours,
Eric Sottas
Director