Caldwell, Bushrod Island – Construction of the new Redemption Hospital in Caldwell was on Monday halted after contractors protested in demand for their salaries.
Report by Edwin Genoway, Jr. [email protected]
Over 300 daily hired workers and contractors of the West-Kevcon Construction Company barricaded the construction site. They also accused the firm of bad labor practices.
The workers are complaining about the lack of transportation, underpayment of skilled and unskilled workers, high LRA tax, high Social Security tax among others.
The company is constructing the new Redemption Hospital.
Some of the aggrieved workers told FrontPage Africa that the company has being “abusing their rights” since the start of the project.
They pointed accusing fingers at the firm’s new manager Abraham Bai for instigating the go-slow action.
They are concern about taxes deducted from their salaries, and want to know whether it is “in line with the labour laws of Liberia.”
Some of the workers claim they have been working for the company for the past 10 years but are now concerned that they will soon be layoff without benefits.
Siaka Kamara, the spokesman for the aggrieved workers, said over 200 persons hired on a daily basis are paid US$7.00 per day, which includes transportation.
Some of the workers pay slip seen by FrontPageAfrica shows that 4% is dedicated as social security and 6% as employee’s contribution.
“They had been taking high taxes for social security and since they’ve been taking our money, not a day they have given us social security form to fill or even provide us with the ID Card or our social security number,” Kamara explains.
He said there has been series of reports from the workers who have been attacked by unknown individuals because the company often pay workers during late hours – beginning at 6:00 pm till late hours.
“I know whether he’s in conspiracy with the criminals because he normally pays us late hours like from 5:30 upward, and when he starts paying from that time, payment will be ongoing until night hours and some unknown men usually attack our colleagues only payday, maybe he knows his reason, I don’t know if he’s cohort with the criminals or what,” the workers spokesman said.
“Some of us have been working for nearly nine years and we still daily hired workers but this time now the new management wants to drop all of us from the work and bring in a new policy that is not good for us.” added another aggrieved worker.
“He once upon the time threatened us that we and our children will not benefit from this construction work.”
Another worker, who asked not to be identified, recalled how he was amongst several workers recruited to construct the coast guide base in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and were assured that each person was to received US$50 per month for lodging but they did not received the said amount.
“Some of us beg for food from friends because the company refused to live up to their promises to give us the US$50 at every month, since December last year they gave us only US$50.00 for one month and that was the end,” he recalled.
Pewee Flomoku, Human Resource Consultant for the firm, said the company has taken necessary steps to remedy the situation but noted that there have been challenges in dealing with the work habit of workers.
Flomoku said the company has begun adjusting the time for disbursing salaries to workers.