Capitol Hill, Monrovia – Aggrieved employees of the Legislature including personal staff of lawmakers and central administration staff have accused the Legislature of unlawfully slashing their salaries and benefits.
On Tuesday, the staffers, in huge numbers met with the Ways, Means and Finance Committee of the House of Representatives and the House’s Comptroller to state reasons why their salaries are being cut despite being exempted from the harmonization process.
The meeting, which took place in the joint chamber of the Legislature ended in deadlock when the aggrieved workers and the Finance Committee represented by its Deputy Chairman, Rep. Jeremiah Koung (District #1, Nimba County) failed to find a common ground.
During meeting, Rep. Koung explained that the salaries of staff earning above US$500 were cut by six percent owing to the Government’s salary harmonization program.
But staffers’ spokesperson, Benjamin Myers, responding to Rep. Koung said the harmonization act, as passed by the Legislature and approved by the President in 2019 did not cover the staff of the Legislature.
Myers said the act only called for salary reduction of employees within the Executive Branch including teachers, medical and security personnel by six percent, while members of the Legislature will have a reduction of 31 percent.
Members of the Legislature, as referred to by the law, Myers argued, only cover the lawmakers including the Representatives and Senators, excluding the staff.
Rebuking the lawmaker, he said: “You were not sincere to us. You unlawfully cut our salaries. And to add insult to injury, you cut the gasoline and you said you waive it to COVID-19 fight with no regard to the legitimate owners.”
“Our gasoline has been slashed by 50 percent. The confirmation of this says to us that there is a foul play. And we are dissatisfied, we are aggrieved and angry.”
The misunderstanding led to a commotion and the employees began to chant “We want our money” towards the Chamber of the House of Representatives. Some planned to disrupt the sessions of both Houses if there was no proper redress.
Meanwhile, their actions led to an immediate response from the House’s Plenary. Following a sustained discussion of the situation in its Tuesday’s sitting, the Plenary, based on a motion proffered by Rep. Acarous M. Gray (District #8, Montserrado County), mandated the Committee on Ways, Means and Finance and the House’s Comptoller to probe the staffers’ complaints and report on Thursday, September 3, 2020 for prompt action.
The Committee will be assisted by some imminent members of the House including Representatives Johnson Gwaikolo (District #9, Nimba County), Rosana G.D.H. Schaack (District #1, Rivercess County), Richard Koon (District #11, Montserrado County) and Dixon Wlawee Seboe (District #16, Montserrado County).
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