Africa
Ivory Coast: primary school teachers continue strike
The strike, which originally began in November and was suspended in January, came back into effect on the 14th of June.
The basic demand of the teachers is an increase in the allowance that they are paid towards accomodation. The planned budget for this year gives teachers 30000 CFA Francs (£29:50) a year. Average monthly wages in Ivory Coast are estimated at CFA 26200, although due to civil problems all figures are unreliable.
Ivory Coast: hospital workers win strike over benefits and bonuses
Workers at the University hospital in Treichville have ended a three-week strike after management agreed a series of concessions.
The strike brought together members of different unions and non-unionised staff. The suspension of the strike was announced after a general meeting held by strikers.
The strikers won bonus pay for handling hazardous materials and some undisclosed improvements in working conditions. They also won the right to free medical care for themselves and their families, including operations.
Ivory Coast: customs and tax officers strike
Tax officers and customs officers launched strikes this week to demand payment of bonuses.
The customs officers' strike was in relation to unpaid quarterly bonuses. The planned 42-hour strike began on Wednesday in spite of assurance given by the Director General, Gnamien Konan, that bonuses would be paid in full by Thursday morning.
Zambia: Mine workers wildcat strike
Workers at the First Quantum Kansanshi copper mine have been refusing to work since Wednesday when they noticed that an agreed pay rise had not been properly implemented.
Operations at the Canadian-owned plant have been paralysed.
Allafrica.com reported that the strike started around 05:30 hours when morning shift miners refused to enter the mining premises, claiming they had been underpaid.
A Times reporter found the more than 100 miners gathered at about 100 metres from the main gate around 07:00 hours.
Cameroon: wildcat strikes win improvements for hospital staff
Nurses and other hospital workers have won important concessions after launching a country-wide wildcat strike on Monday
The main demands of the strikers were improved work and living conditions, however there were further demands amongst the three main groups of striking workers.
Public employees: demanding a re-evalutation of their salaries which have not been increased for fourteen years and the right for all employees to retire at 60.
South Africa: 260,000 workers on strike
Striking workers in the metal and engineering industries said yesterday it was time they got a slice of the profits that they worked so hard to create.
More than 9000 metal and engineering companies were affected by industrial action as 260000 workers took to the streets yesterday demanding a 10% increase for lower grade workers and 9percent for higher grade workers. Employers are offering between 7.3% and 7.8%.
Somalia: Soldiers demand unpaid wages
Soldiers have taken control of government buldings in the Central province of Hiran after going seven months without pay.
The troops have not been paid since they were deployed to the province and are blaming corruption by local goverment. They have seized the buildings in Balet Weyne and have said they will keep them until they are paid.
Troops have also seized a barracks in Jowhar, north of the capital Mogadishu, with reports of gunfire although not of any injuries so far.
Mali: Butchers strike against government price-fixing
Butchers in the capital of Mali, Bamoko, launched wildcat action after the government ordered prices to be lowered.
The wildcat action was linked to increases in the price of meat in the Bamako district over the last few months. Local butchers blamed the price increases on a lack of livestock that had been caused by a poor supply of animal feed. It is also linked to the loss of value of the CFA Franc, the currency used in many former french colonies.
South African unions call off massive strike
Unions have agreed to a government pay offer just 0.5% above inflation, describing it as "fantastic."
Nearly four weeks ago, with inflation running at around 7% and following several years of declining real wages, an indefinite strike began across the South African public sector involving hundreds of thousands of workers (libcom.org coverage 1 [url=http://libcom.org/news/south-africa-zacf-statement-support-publ
Morocco: Mayday solidarity protest attacked
Auxiliary forces using boots and truncheons attacked the peaceful sit-in outside the Moroccan Parliament building last Friday.
The protest was organised by the Moroccan association for human rights (AMDH) after a call by the National Solidarity group for the Mayday Detainees (INSAD), those arrested at May Day include workers, unionists, students and the unemployed.
