As of Monday, June 22, 2020, 371 of the 545 employees of the Cameroon Airlines Corporation (CAMAIR-CO) have been placed on technical unemployment. “The period of suspension of said contracts, renewable if necessary, extends from June 22, 2020 to September 21, 2020 and cannot exceed six (06) months”, specifies the decision signed on June 19 by the Director General, Louis Georges Njipendi Kuotu.
This decision followed the financial crisis hitting the company, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 23, 2020, the Director General wrote to the chairman of the Board of Directors, Jean Ernest Ngalle Bibehe, to suggest the lay-off of non-essential staff, accompanied by a monthly balance subsidy of 2 billion FCFA in the event of continued operation during the COVID-19 period.
If the Board chairman gave its agreement for the first complaint, it indicated on the other hand that “a monthly endowment of balance is not possible, having regard to the budgetary constraints of the State”.
The decision has not gone down well with trade union leaders. The air transport unions has urged Camair-co employees to reject this technical leave. This decision was taken on June 21, 2020, by the presidents of six unions during an inter-union meeting in Douala.
“We ask the workers to ignore this unilateral decision and to go about their business normally.” the unions of air carriers said in a joint statement. They recall that the technical unemployment file is currently at the level of the board of directors.
“Appointed on May 27, 2019 at the head of CAMAIR-CO, Louis Georges Njipendi had asked the government to release an envelope of more than 2.6 billion FCFA in order to meet the most pressing needs. Almost always in deficit since its launch in 2011, CAMAIR-CO is crumbling under debt of some 35 billion FCFA, its employees also claiming several months (03, Ed) of salary arrears. Obviously, the government does not have the resources to finance the famous recovery plan proposed by the American cabinet Boeing Consulting in 2016 initially set at 327 billion FCFA.”
Last May, the company already announced the temporary suspension of its continental destinations. Namely Abidjan, Bangui, Cotonou, Dakar Libreville, Lagos and Ndjamena. The fact is that out of a fleet of six planes, only two are in service. A MA60 and a Bombardier Q400 for hire. The other four remain nailed to the ground following various breakdowns.
