Against the backdrop of the IUF’s 2021 Global Week of Action for Hotel Workers, on October 26, the union representing workers at the Sheraton Grand Conakry, IUF affiliate, Fédération de l’Hôtellerie, Tourisme, Restauration, Catering et Branches Connexes (FHTRC), submitted its letter of intent to strike over the terminations of the trade union leaders one year ago. According to Guinean law, the employer has ten days to reach an agreement with the union, after which time workers will be legally authorized to strike. Over the last four days, more than 80% of workers have declared their intent to strike on a photo petition.
- For the last year the IUF has supported the campaign for reinstatement of the two trade union leaders who were terminated for defending a co-worker who broke a flower pot
- In their effort to win reinstatement of the trade union leaders, the workers have delivered five majority petitions demanding reinstatement, four complaints to the World Bank’s private-lending arm International Finance Corporation for the Sheraton Grand Conakry’s non-compliance with their labor standards, two complaints to the International Labour Organisation and numerous meetings with political and community leaders in Guinea
- On October 7, the union marked the one-year anniversary of the terminations with a press conference declaring the formation of a coalition of trade unions in Guinea, including miners, teachers, and bank workers, ready to undertake solidarity actions until the delegates are reinstated; the coalition set a deadline of October 22 for reinstatement which the hotel owner, Palma Guinea, a subsidiary of Topaz Group, ignored
Please watch and share this short video of Sheraton Grand Conakry workers explaining why they are ready to strike!
“We want our union leaders to be reinstated. No more corruption. No more injustice,” said Sheraton Grand Conakry server and Union committee leader Fatoumata Soumah.
