Staff at Ivory Coast's Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC), which controls cocoa exports in the world's top grower, resumed strike action on Thursday, blocking registration of cocoa for shipping, union officials said. "All our members have stoped work today. Many haven't come to work because we asked them to stay at home.
We can say the strike is effective as of this morning," said Augustin Kouassi N'Goran, secretary general of the SYNASGFICC workers' union. A worker at the BCC office which issue documentation enabling cocoa to be exported from the West African state, said the office was closed, preventing registration of shipments.
"The union asked us to stay at home to strike so all the union members are at home for now," he said. Staff says they are striking for better pay and conditions but also for changes to senior management of the various structures controlling the highly politicised industry.
Staff suspended two-day stoppage, which took place in December to begin talks with government and industry officials, but the union said these failed to take place and they now want to meet with head of state President Laurent Gbagbo.