APM Terminals Worker Union Holds Election

The APM Terminals Workers Union at the Freeport of Monrovia goes to the poll today, Friday, November 1, 2013 for the first time to elect corps of officers to head the Union.

This is the first election ever since the APM Terminals took over the 25-year concession agreement to operate the Port of Monrovia based on a government ratification in October 2010. The APM Terminals workers most of whom are Liberians, want their union leadership to build a strong cooperation between workers and authorities of the company.

They also want the incoming leadership to engage authorities efficiently with professionalism whenever there are problems between workers and management, and among fellow workers.The workers urged the incoming leaders to always seek their interest.

In today’s election, some contestants of the Union have already won on white ballots, including the President and Vice President for Administration and Operation, respectively.

David D. Saytonneh, Okasa Bigboy Samah, and Amara Kamara, who are all vying for the Presidency, Vice Presidency and VP for Operation, are all flying on white ballots. Isaac Bundor Secretary General and Priscilla Flomo are amongst the white ballot group.

The election today will mainly focus on Glasco S. Moore and Soko Kromah, who are both vying for the post, Director for Workers Education. The APM Terminals workers establishment brings to two prominent unions at the Freeport with the Dock Workers Union headed by Madam Jackie Doe.

The Dock Workers Union is now serving as mother organization or host union for the APM Terminals Workers Union at the Freeport of Monrovia. The President of the Dock Workers Union of Liberia Madam Jackie Doe urged incoming leaders of the APM Terminals Workers Union to seek the interest of its workers and cooperate with authorities of the port.

Speaking at the debate of the APM Terminals Workers Union, Madam Doe welcomed the existence of the APM Union, adding, it is about time both unions work together to seek the interest of employees at the port.

The APM Terminals Global Terminal Network is well-established in West Africa with facilities in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Cotonou, Benin; Tema, Ghana; Apapa (Lagos), and Onne (Port Harcourt), Nigeria; Douala, Cameroon; Monrovia, Liberia; Pointe-Noire (under development), Republic of the Congo; and Luanda, Angola.