Les Brasseries du Cameroun General Manager, André Siaka, has said his company will integrate all the 256 workers of SIAC-Brasserie Isenbeck SA. Les Brasseries, recently, bought over 60 percent shares of SIAC - Brasserie Isenbeck from the German Group, Warsteiner.

Siakia gave this assurance at a press conference he granted in Douala Monday, October 20.

Les Brasseries boss stated that while waiting for the effective integration of the workers, Les Brasseries du Cameroun paid the full salaries of all the workers of SIAC for September, and that October salaries are already being prepared.

The GM explained that the integration procedure is being diligently handled and that effective integration of the first set of workers is expected to take place by November. Siaka disclosed that besides the salaries of the workers, all the dues which the former management of SIAC used to pay to the workers will be raised to the level paid by Les Brasseries du Cameroun.

Siaka reiterated that SIAC workers who, for personal reasons, wish to leave will be free to do so while their dues will be calculated and paid.He explained that what Les Brasseries bought from the German group was the products that she was producing in Cameroon, which include Isenbeck, Vimto and Malta ISI.

On how both companies will now operate, he said SIAC will not be absorbed by Les Brasseries du Cameroun but will stay on as an affiliate of the company.

'Rebel Group'

The October 20 press conference came up within the backdrop of the emergence of a 'rebel group' at SIAC, claiming to be the new representatives of the workers in negotiation with Les Brasseries du Cameroun. The group which calls itself 'Le Collectif des Employés de la SIAC -SA' is led by one Christian Kuoh.

It claimed to have held its assembly on October 19, at which some members were designated to constitute a commission to replace the legally elected workers representatives of the company. The names of the supposed members designated for the commission were not mentioned in a three-page letter the group addressed to the Board of Directors of Les Brasseries du Cameroun.

Meanwhile, the workers representatives had in their letter to the General Manager, requested him to provide information on; the guarantee that workers of SIAC will be truly integrated into Les Brasseries du Cameroun, how the dues of those workers who wish to leave will be calculated, the internal regulations for workers of Les Brasseries du Cameroun, and how the company will handle the cases of those workers of SIAC who should in the very near future be due retirement.

Les Brasseries GM argued that 'Le Collectif des Employés de la SIAC -SA' is illegal and that the company's management cannot work with such a group. He noted that the present workers representatives at SIAC were legally elected before the company was sold, and are those officially recognised by the Littoral Provincial Delegation of Labour and Social Security.