In Mali, the new prime minister for the transition, Choguel Maïga, met with UN unions on Tuesday. The first central union in the country has had a series of complaints for several months.
The case of the compressed workers from the former state-owned enterprises, the harmonization of the index networks for the salaries of civil servants, the bonuses and subsidies granted to certain categories … are all complaints from the trade unions. Relations with the previous government were notoriously poor. The second coup on May 24 took place in the middle of a period of strike, a strike that UNTM has since suspended, precisely because of this new coup, in order not to increase the general chaos.
It is therefore in this tense context that the new Prime Minister tried to reassure the trade union leaders. Did he succeed? Choguel Maïga personally went to the Bamako Labor Exchange, an initiative “valued at its true value”, assures the Prime Minister’s press release, stating that the new Prime Minister for the transition intends “to work to calm the climate social”.
On the UNTM side, the conclusions are more nuanced. Ousmane Traoré, UNTM Secretary for Economic Affairs, explains in particular his fears about the composition of the new government.
“There are other unions in the government. They are the unions that most openly oppose the demands of UNTM. We are thinking of the Minister of Education and the Minister of Justice who are hostile to some of our demands, they have said it publicly. ”
UNTM also claims that he has refused to join the new government and claims that this is not a trade union. Above all, UNTM is already issuing an ultimatum to the new Prime Minister.
“Our expectation will not exceed the next ten days after the first government meeting. And then the slogan is not lifted, it was interrupted. So if there are no strong actions in the next ten days, UNTM will take responsibility for its claims. ”
Three weeks ago, UNTM suspended its movement due to the second coup. An interprofessional and unlimited strike.
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