Angola Bar defends new ‘fairer’ strike law

The Angolan Bar Association (AAA) has registered “acts of coercion” during the second phase of the general strike and called on the Angolan President, parliament, trade unions and civil society to develop a “fairer” strike law.

The OAA created groups to monitor the implementation of this right in 18 Angolan provinces during the second phase of the general strike of Angolan workers, which took place from 22 to 30 April.

The report accessed by Lusa, prepared by the OAA Human Rights Commission, states that, unlike the first phase, this time there were no cases of physical aggression and/or arrests of strikers and trade unionists.

However, during the strike, the document says, there were cases of coercion and threats.

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights deprived strikers of remuneration benefits, in Benguela the local government introduced wage discounts for strikers, the Ministry of Health replaced striking doctors with foreign doctors, and in the province of Cabinda strikers were threatened. state security services.

The board of directors of the National Electricity Company applied discounts to the wages of strikers, and the same state-owned company reportedly instructed the police to disperse striking workers in the provinces of Benguela and Namibe, while acts that amounted to “coercion” were also recorded in the provinces of Ouija and Cuando Cubango. to refuse to participate in the strike.”

According to the OAA, which also followed the first phase of the strike, freedom of trade unions was limited by the above-mentioned government institutions in the second phase of the workers’ strike, stating that the right to strike is linked to fundamental rights and should not be limited in an arbitrary manner.

The commission therefore recommended that the government, political, police and other public institutions give a corrective interpretation of the Strike Law and review this diploma, in force since 1991, since it is “not in accordance” with the Angolan Constitution approved in 2010.

This body even called on the National Assembly (Parliament), the Angolan President, trade unions, workers and civil society to unite to develop a new “fairer” strike law that respects the structural principles of a democratic state and law.

He also argues that Angolan President João Lourenço should facilitate negotiations with unions to resolve the concerns expressed in the list of demands, and that the OAA demand a consistent abstract review of the rules of the Strike Law before the Constitutional Court.

The general strike in Angola, the first stage of which took place from March 20 to 22 last year, and the third is planned for June next year, is coordinated by three trade unions, namely the Central General Union of Independent Trade Unions and Livres of Angola (CGSILA), the National Union of Workers of Angola – Trade Union Confederation (UNTA-CS) and Força Sindical – Central Sindical (FS-CS).

At stake are a rise in the national minimum wage, a pay adjustment for civil servants and a 10% cut in the Income Tax (IRT).