Benin/Progressive satisfaction of workers' demands: The Government exchanges with the trade union centres and confederations

The government of Benin since April 2016 has placed at the heart of its institutional, economic and financial reforms, the social concerns of workers in all sectors of activity. To satisfy the rest of the relevant claims of workers in connection with state resources, the government maintains social dialogue, which remains a factor of productivity and promotion of equitable and sustainable development.

Within this framework, the first ordinary session of the National Commission for Consultation and Collective Bargaining was opened on Friday 10 September 2021 at INFOSEC in Cotonou by the Minister of State in charge of Development and Coordination of Government Action, Abdoulaye BIO TCHANÉ.INFOSEC of Cotonou by the Minister of State in charge of Development and Coordination of Government Action Abdoulaye BIO TCHANÉ, in the company of the Minister of Labour and Public Service Mrs Adidjatou MATHYS. In the presence of several other government ministers, this meeting was attended by trade union confederations including Cosi-Benin and Csa-Benin... as well as members of employers' organizations and other actors.

After a minute of silence in memory of the late Secretary General Dieudonné LOKOSSOU, the Minister of State Abdoulaye BIO TCHANÉ, in his opening speech, greeted on behalf of the Government, the three trade union confederations that emerged from the success of the third edition of the national professional elections which changed the trade union landscape in Benin.

"This new configuration, in our opinion, will make it possible to revitalize the work of the consultation and collective bargaining committee, which has become a tripartite framework for social dialogue," the Minister of State said before recalling the three items proposed for the agenda.

These include

- Effective diligence in preparing for the start of the 2021-2022 school and university year;

- consideration of the grievances of workers received on the occasion of Labour Day on 1 May 2021;

- other matters.

This session which opens on the eve of the start of the 2021-2022 school and university year in a context marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, was an opportunity for the Minister of State to launch this appeal: "I would like to count on the commitment of trade union leaders and employers' organizations through awareness and training actions in favor of workers so that they convince themselves to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and observe the barrier measures to limit the spread of the virus." Finally, Abdoulaye BIO TCHANÉ said he was counting on everyone's expertise and civic commitment for an objective examination of the items on the agenda.

And Minister Adidjatou MATHYS reassured the central and trade union confederations on the draft decrees that will set up the technical committees.

It should be recalled that the Minister of Health, Professor Benjamin HOUNKPATIN also reassured the social partners of the good faith and relevance of the latest measures taken by the government to face the Coronavirus pandemic in our country. The session opened in a friendly atmosphere, which bodes well for the good of all stakeholders.

Source: www.gouv.bj