Industrial Workers of the World

Workers continue to celebrate as a deal to halt Guinea's general strikes has at last emerged After days of intense negotiation trade union leaders have suspended the long-running general strike after President Lansana Conte agreed to replace his prime monster. The new PM is to be chosen from a list compiled by unions and the opposition.

The strike has been running for more than six weeks with unions demanding the appointment of an independent prime minister to carry out wide-ranging reforms.

During the strike more than 100 demonstrators have been shot dead by the security forces and martial law was imposed.

Union negotiator, Ibrahima Fofana, told AP news agency that although the strike would technically end at midnight on Sunday, Monday should be a day of prayer devoted to all those who died in the strike-related violence.

According to a statement read out by regional negotiator Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the unions "have decided to suspend the strike call across the whole national territory and they urge workers to go back to work on Tuesday, 27 February."

Earlier Guinea's parliament had voted to reject the president's request for an extension of martial law.

Martial law was declared shortly after Mr Conte appointed a close aide of his, Eugene Camara, as prime minister on 9 February - a decision so unpopular that it sparked major unrest. "Eugene Camara is no longer the prime minister," Mr Fofana said after the talks on Sunday.

A change of rulers might well be the joy of fools but at least, it seems, the Guinea workers are in no danger of being mistaken, like some, for a flock of sheep.

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6394925.stm