PHOTO: Hundreds of current and former workers have defied government intervention, maintaining a four-day blockade of critical railway infrastructure in Grand Bassa County
The workers cite a catalogue of grievances including unpaid overtime, wrongful wage deductions, absence of employment contracts, and systematic violations of Liberian labour law.
By King Brown, sarwahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia -Rail operations for the mining giant ArcelorMittal Liberia have ground to a halt, after 800 workers from subcontractor Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon Ltd (WBHO) blocked railway tracks and set fires along the route, escalating a bitter labour dispute now in its fourth day.
This labour unrest has been going on here in Liberia’s southern port city since Monday, June 9, 2025.
The protesters, camping at Kilometre 10 outside Buchanan, have placed wooden obstacles across the tracks and lit fires near the railway line, preventing the transport of iron ore to the port facilities in Buchanan. The dramatic action represents escalation in tactics, moving beyond company premises to target critical infrastructure.
The blockade comes despite direct intervention by Labour Minister Cooper Kruah on Tuesday, whose attempts at mediation were rebuffed by the determined workforce. Windell Verdier, spokesman for the protesting workers, made clear their position: “Talks alone won’t solve our grievances.”
The dispute centers on allegations that WBHO owes each worker US$3,900 in unpaid benefits over a ten-month period at monthly payments of US$390 that workers say have not been received. The company in a communication has reportedly told ArcelorMittal it owes “not a cent” to the protesting workers.
What began as a peaceful demonstration at Grand Bassa County’s administrative offices on Monday has transformed into round-the-clock railway occupation. Workers have established a makeshift camp, cooking meals and boiling water beside the blocked tracks.
Police Support Unit officers deployed to clear the railway have faced fierce resistance, with protesters alleging five workers sustained injuries during confrontations. The workers, drawn from both Grand Bassa and Nimba counties, have declared themselves willing to face imprisonment or death for their cause.
WBHO, which handles railway maintenance and construction for ArcelorMittal Liberia, has faced recurring allegations of labour rights violations over several years. In 2024, similar tensions erupted when workers disrupted operations at Gaye Peter Compound #3, in Grand Bassa County allegedly cutting sections of track to halt train movements.
The workers cite a catalogue of grievances including unpaid overtime, wrongful wage deductions, absence of employment contracts, and systematic violations of Liberian labour law.
This ongoing standoff threatens to severely impact ArcelorMittal’s iron ore exports, with no trains able to reach Buchanan port facilities. Despite the economic implications, neither the government, Labour Ministry, county administration, ArcelorMittal, nor WBHO have announced new intervention measures since Wednesday.
County Superintendent Karyou Johnson and other local officials have yet to respond publicly to the crisis unfolding on their doorstep.
The workers maintain they will continue their blockade until their demands are met, raising the prospect of prolonged disruption to one of Liberia’s key economic arteries.