Title: Minimum wage in Ivory Coast: insufficient reassessment in the face of rising prices
Introduction :
In a context marked by the constant increase in the cost of living, the guaranteed interprofessional minimum wage in Côte d’Ivoire was revalued at the beginning of 2023. This 25% increase was expected by many workers, but it raises disappointments and concerns about its ability to meet the financial needs of the population. In this article, we will discuss the reactions of workers as well as the challenges they face despite this salary increase.
Workers still in difficulty despite the revaluation:
Despite this increase in the minimum wage, Ivorian workers are still struggling to make ends meet. A security guard testifies to his difficulties in providing for his family’s needs, even with a salary of 92,000 CFA francs. According to him, the prices of basic necessities have increased significantly, making them difficult for minimum wage workers to access. Exceptional expenses, such as school fees, then become a real challenge for workers.
Unions fighting against companies that do not respect the minimum wage:
Despite the establishment of a legal minimum wage, some companies continue to fail to respect this obligation. Unions are trying to fight this phenomenon, but also face repression from some companies. In some cases, those who denounce this situation may be victims of reprisals from the administration. The unions are therefore demanding an increase in the minimum wage, as well as indexation to inflation to guarantee a decent standard of living for workers.
The challenge of the informal sector:
It is important to emphasize that the minimum wage only concerns a limited part of the working population in Côte d’Ivoire. Indeed, more than 93% of workers are in the informal sector, where labor laws are rarely applied. Under these conditions, it is all the more difficult to guarantee decent working conditions and a minimum wage for these workers.
Conclusion :
Despite the increase in the minimum wage in Côte d’Ivoire, workers continue to face numerous financial difficulties. The unions are campaigning for a more significant revaluation as well as indexation to inflation in order to guarantee a decent standard of living for all workers. At the same time, it is essential to find solutions to improve working conditions in the informal sector, in order to protect the rights of workers there.