The Liberian Senate has mandated its Committee on Labor and Judiciary to look into a complaint of bad labor practices alleged against APM Terminals and to report to the plenary within two weeks, based on a communication presented by Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon.
Grand Bassa County Senator Jonathan Kaipay made the motion accepting the communication and it was sent to the Senate’s Committee on Labor and Judiciary to report within two weeks.
The committee was given the task after Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon wrote the plenary of the Liberian Senate, asking it to investigate the issue of alleged bad labor practice at the APM Terminals.
In his communication to the plenary Wednesday, 26 August, Mr. Dillon requested that the plenary look into what is alleged to be bad labor practices, including illegal dismissals on the part of the management at APM Terminals. Dillon notes that it is in violation of the company’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with workers, the Decent Act and its own handbook.
He further states that the matter has been as far back as 2014 wherein the Dock Workers Unjoin of Liberia has written many communications to the relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of Labor.
He however says the House Labor Committee in May 2014 convened a meeting with the management of PAM Terminals and the workers and told the APM Terminals management to live up to its side of the bargaining agreement but to no avail.
In addition, Mr. Dillon indicates that the Ministry of Labor in its findings of 21 March 2018, after an investigation into the same issue, requested the APM Terminals management, among other things, to create a conductive work environment.
He says APM Terminals was requested to expedite the process of contract review with the intention of reviewing all third party contracts, pay all leave allowances unpaid during previous leave periods and pay annual leave entitlements.
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Meanwhile, Senator Dillon in his communication say up to date, none of such things has happened while the people continue to complain and work in an environment that is unconducive and their rights violated in their country.
By Ethel A. Tweh–Edited by Winston W. Parley
