Yamoussa Touré

Introduction

Yamoussa Touré, born on July 29, 1947, in Mamou, Republic of Guinea, is an emblematic figure in the Guinean trade union and political landscape. A journalist by training, he has gradually established himself as one of the most ardent defenders of workers' and retirees' rights in his country. His journey, marked by struggles and strong convictions, has led him to hold important positions in national trade union bodies, before sitting on the National Transitional Council since January 2022. This is a portrait of a man whose commitment has never wavered despite obstacles and setbacks.

Education

Although the provided documents do not specifically detail his academic background, it can be deduced that Yamoussa Touré received a solid education that allowed him to access the profession of journalism. This profession, demanding intellectual rigor and mastery of expression, often serves as a springboard for societal engagement. It was probably during these formative years that his convictions in favor of social justice and workers' rights were forged, values that would guide his entire subsequent career.

Professional Career

Yamoussa Touré's professional path has revolved around journalism and trade union engagement. His training in journalism provided him with the necessary tools to analyze the social and economic issues of the country, while developing his communication and advocacy skills. This dual competence proved valuable in his future union functions, where the art of persuasion and mobilization is essential.

Over the years, Touré gradually oriented his career towards full-time trade unionism, while maintaining his journalist's sensibility to decipher social issues and effectively relay workers' concerns. This marriage between journalism and trade unionism shaped a particular style of action, combining critical analysis of public policies and pragmatic defense of employees' interests.

Trade Unionist

It is in the trade union field that Yamoussa Touré truly distinguished himself. He long held important positions within the National Confederation of Workers of Guinea (CNTG), the oldest and most influential of the country's trade union centers. Over the years, he established himself as one of the most respected voices in the Guinean trade union movement, consistently defending workers' rights against public authorities and employers.

However, his career within the CNTG took a decisive turn in 2011, during the organization's 16th congress. A dispute concerning the interpretation of Article 47 of the internal regulations, which stipulates that "any member of a union bureau promoted to a position of administrative or legislative responsibility automatically loses their union responsibility function," led to a split within the confederation. This crisis pitted Yamoussa Touré against Amadou Diallo for the position of secretary general.

Defeated by the courts in this internal conflict, Touré decided in 2014 to create his own organization: the Autonomous Trade Union Confederation of Workers and Retirees of Guinea (COSATREG). This new structure, of which he became the secretary general, is distinguished by its particular attention to retirees, a category often neglected in traditional trade union struggles. In his own words: "Retirement is like death. They [retirees] must be in the same conditions as workers."

Trade Union Strikes

As a leading figure in Guinean trade unionism, Yamoussa Touré has been involved in several nationwide strike movements. One of the most significant was the one-week warning strike launched on February 1, 2017, in which his confederation, COSATREG, actively participated alongside a dozen other trade union centers.

This movement was primarily aimed at protesting against "the new index scales and the demotion of all civil servants." Interviewed in the early hours of this strike, Touré specified that "it concerns the entire public administration," emphasizing the scale of the mobilization. The demands also included "the non-application of the special status of Education in general and Higher Education in particular, the persistent marginalization of the Trade Union Movement through the Trade Union Action Unit by the Ministers of Labor and Civil Service."

This strike perfectly illustrates Touré's approach: collective action, coordinated among different organizations, to defend social gains and fight against what he perceives as injustices towards civil servants. His ability to unite beyond internal divisions in the trade union movement testifies to his influence and credibility among workers.

Private Life and Reconciliation

Yamoussa Touré's personal life remains relatively discreet in the available documents. Nevertheless, a significant episode in his personal and professional trajectory deserves to be highlighted: the reconciliation with his trade union rival, Amadou Diallo.

Tensions between the two men had reached their peak on May 6, 2015, when an altercation in the corridors of the Ministry of Labor had degenerated. Following a simple greeting from Touré, Diallo had responded with verbal violence before punching him and making death threats. This incident had led Yamoussa Touré to file a complaint against his aggressor.

However, thanks to the intervention of respected personalities such as Hadja Rabiatou Serah Diallo, former president of the National Transitional Council (CNT), and businessman Kerfala "KPC" Camara, a mediation was organized on May 17, 2015. During this meeting, Amadou Diallo acknowledged his wrongs and apologized to Yamoussa Touré who, in his own words, accepted them as a Muslim. The very next day, he withdrew his complaint, thus ending this regrettable affair.

This episode reveals an important aspect of Touré's personality: his ability to prioritize reconciliation and appeasement when circumstances allow, without renouncing his fundamental convictions. It also demonstrates the importance of religious values in his personal life, as he explicitly invokes his Muslim faith to justify his forgiveness.

Vision of Trade Unionism

Throughout his career, Yamoussa Touré has developed a critical and lucid vision of the Guinean trade union movement. According to him, "opportunism, careerism, and the politicization of the trade union movement have led to its decline." This analysis pushed him to create COSATREG, which he conceives as an "apolitical, free, independent, and democratic" organization, with the motto "Peace – Justice – Progress."

For Touré, trade unionism should not be subservient to political parties or particular interests. It must remain faithful to its primary mission: defending workers' rights and improving their living conditions. This is why he insists on strict respect for the separation of powers between the government, employers, and unions.

His decision to explicitly include retirees in his confederation's field of action also testifies to an inclusive vision of trade unionism, which should not abandon workers once their active life is over. This attention to elders reveals a conception of intergenerational solidarity that goes beyond the traditional framework of trade union struggles.

Conclusion

Yamoussa Touré's trajectory illustrates the evolution of Guinean trade unionism over the past decades, with its advances, crises, and recompositions. From the CNTG to COSATREG, from conflict to reconciliation, this man born in 1947 has traversed the eras without ever giving up his commitment to workers and, more recently, retirees.

His appointment to the National Transitional Council in January 2022, as a representative of the trade union centers, crowns a rich and eventful career. It testifies to the recognition of his expertise and legitimacy in the social field, beyond the divisions that may have marked his career.

In the twilight of his professional life, Yamoussa Touré leaves the image of an upright trade unionist, capable of reinventing himself in the face of adversity and creating new structures when the old ones no longer meet his ethical requirements. His journey reminds us that trade unionism, far from being a simple administrative function, remains above all a moral commitment to the service of social justice and human dignity.

In a country like Guinea, where economic and social challenges remain immense, Yamoussa Touré's legacy inspires new generations of trade unionists to continue the fight, while keeping in mind his maxim: "A trade union organization is only worth what its leaders are worth."