PHOTO ABOVE: ONE OF THE REDUNDANT WORKERS AND KIDS
As hundreds of redundant Firestone workers in Harbel, Margibi County go without employment, the fate of thousands of their dependents hangs in the balance, as Liberia is going through serious economic crisis.
Just last week, 112 workers of the largest rubber plantation in Liberia took their exist, as part of the latest batch of some 800 redundant workers of Firestone that are to be laid off since the company announced the decision earlier this year due to economic reasons.
Over the weekend, two of the Firestone workers affected by the ongoing redundancy have spoken out against the “invisible Decent Work Act which the management of Firestone always relies on.”
The Decent Work Act took effect in Liberia in 2016 after being passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the President of Liberia. The law sets a minimum wage for workers and spells out condition under which employers can dismiss employees. For example Section 52 of the Act says employers can dismiss/redundant employees for:
“Structural reasons, including for reasons of bankruptcy, dissolution, closure, or cessation of the business. b) An employer shall provide notice to the employee under section § 14.6 and pay severance pay to an employee if the employee’s employment is terminated because of economic reasons. c) An employee whose employment is terminated because of economic reasons is entitled to four weeks of severance pay for each completed year of service. d) The obligation in this section to pay severance pay operates in addition to any other obligation arising from the termination of the employee’s employment, whether under this Act or otherwise. e) When determining which employees to make redundant, the employer shall adopt the principle of “first in last out”, however, where the length of service of the employees shall be relatively equal the employer shall consider qualifications and efficiency”.
According to the two redundant employees from the Plant Protection Department (PPD), they have never seen any copy of the Decent Work Act since it came into being, but whenever Firestone dismiss or redundant an employees it can be quoted in their letters which according to them is very wrong and against the right of the employees.
One of the redundant employees from the security department of Firestone, the Plant Protection Department (PPD), Mr. Robert M. Kollie, who served the company for 14 years, disclosed that the refusal of Firestone management or the workers’ union to distribute copies of the decent work act has left in them in limbo.
Mr. Kollie expressed frustration at his residence in Paulville, Harbel, when he spoke with this Reporter.
He wondered how can a Decent Work Act be quoted during their dismissal or redundancy, when the workers of the company do not have copies of what has been quoted by management?
He further stated that his redundancy was unexpected because he was never informed about it and more besides he was on job when the redundant listing was placed out and frustrating he saw his name there.
Mr. Kollie blamed the government of Liberia for them losing their jobs, but he at the same time wants government to plead with Firestone to keep those who are on job as a means of reducing criminal rate.
Another laid off workers, Mr. Peter Dolo, who also served the company for almost 11years, said the Decent Work Act that Firestone management is quoting against them is something that they have never seen physically since its publication.
Mr. Dolo, who was also in the PPD, said in an interview at his Recess camp at Pipeline community, said that both Firestone and the government should be blamed for not giving any copies of the decent work act so that employees can know their right and wrong.
Mr. Dolo said he was very disappointed over the company’s decision to lay them off and is worried about the many challenges that are ahead of them, in the wake of the high inflation rate and lack of employment opportunities.
This Firestone redundant employee stated that the redundancies being carried out by the management of Firestone has a very serious impact on them and their respective families.
In announcing the decision to lay off the hundreds of workers, the management of Firestone said it acted in line with the labour laws of Liberia and took the decision in consultation with Liberian authorities.
Meanwhile, Mr. Dolo is calling for the repeal of the Decent Work Act, because it is not helping workers in any direction but rather helping to make life very difficult for them. By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com