CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) — A labor inspector says that Guinean authorities will give civil servants a pay raise of 50 percent over the next year. Inspector Mariama Djogo Barry on Monday announced the decision that was agreed upon Friday between the government and Guinea's main trade unions. She said the raises would be applied in three phases of 10, 15 and 25 percent before the end of 2013. In September, when Guinea was named to the IMF and World Bank's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, the unions threatened to go on strike if the government did not give civil servants a 200 percent raise. Guinean President Alpha Conde then asked for time to respond to the request. Analyst Diawara Foromo said the increase was a positive first step but more is needed. |