ContactPartner Area
HomeNewsStories of change

Benin raises minimum wage

Keep on placing emphasis on social dialogue

"Our efforts are bearing fruit," says Noel Chadaré, leader of partner trade union COSI in West African Benin. He is referring to the announcement that the government will increase the minimum wage. For a long time, COSI and other trade unions put pressure on the government to do so.

“Hey, is that it?!”

“What’d you expect? This is just an information meeting.”

Since 2016, when Talon became president of Benin, the country has been following a liberal course. This doesn’t work well for many people working in terms of salary, social benefits and taxation. COSI frequently consulted with other trade unions on improving the position of workers and also regularly spoke with employers’ organisations and authorities.

The minimum wage was on the agenda time and again. Even in the media and during public speeches, raising the minimum wage was always an issue to discuss. According to Chadaré, it is important to keep talking about this and to convince the government of the importance of a good social dialogue: "It’s a matter of holding on to our powers of persuasion. The fight is never over. Our goal now is to make sure that the extent to which the minimum wage is increased actually makes a difference to people working in terms of a better quality of life." It remains important for the union to keep a close eye on the actual implementation of a higher wage.

 

"Our goal is that the increase in the minimum wage, for workers actually makes a difference to a better quality of life"

- Noël Chadaré, leader of partner trade union COSI-Benin

Publication date 17 04 2022