The objective is to pool thoughts, initiatives and other actions in favor of employment and enterprise.
Faced with the negative impacts of Covid-19 in companies, the Inter-Employers Group of Cameroon (GICAM) and five workers’ Trade Union confederations are tuning in. They have set up a coalition of social partners for employment. The two sides adopted a joint declaration to serve the interests of businesses and households in Douala on May 13, 2020. Clearly, the coalition is saying no to the job cuts because of the Covid-19. Its objective is to pool thoughts, initiatives and other actions in favor of employment and business.
Since the onset of the pandemic in Cameroon, the economy has been at half mast and businesses have been hit hard by the health crisis in almost all sectors of activity. A recent report by GICAM, the country’s main employers, reveals that 92% of companies are negatively impacted by Covid-19, including 52% of SMEs. This also affects the employee. To become aware of these risks in the more or less long term, the coalition discussed government measures on businesses and the world of work, the recommendations and proposals of the social partners on crisis management and post-crisis.
“The measures which have been taken by the State have been appreciated in so far as we consider them to be a beginning. But we have to do a little more, ” Théophile Moulong, President of the Social Committee for Employment at GICAM says.
Several sectors of the economy are affected like “hotels, tourism, bars restaurants, transport …”, Isaac Bessala, President of the General Union of Workers of Cameroon ( UGTC). If the coalition appreciates public policies on the Covid-19, it wants a tripartite social dialogue between state, business and workers with a view to creating sustainable businesses and decent and productive jobs.
