Over unpaid salaries, wrongful dismissals…
Several workers of the Government of Liberia (GoL), under the banner Consortiums of Public Sector Workers Organizations of Liberia, have threatened unspecific actions if the GoL fails to meet up with their demands.
The Public Workers Consortium said it will shortly begin staging long-term warning strikes, if the GoL fails to adhere to its demands, including unlawful retirement, unexplained/illegal deductions from salaries of public sector employees, and the uncontrollable use of PTA funds, among others.
The group at a press conference on Wednesday in Monrovia said its action comes after several failed negotiations to address the Consortium’s concerns.
The public sector workers from various unions, including the Civil Servants Association of Liberia (CSAL), the National Health Workers Union of Liberia (NAHWUL), the National Teachers’ Association of Liberia (NTAL), and the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers Association (MCSSTA), said they have persistently sought basic information and redress from government, but to no avail, which has led to them planning a nationwide strike action to bring pressure to bear on the GoL as a way of resolving their grievances.
According to the Public Workers Consortium, the pending strike action will be held over a number of issues, including the violation of the Civil Service Agency (CSA) standing order, among other things.
The civil servants noted that the GoL is in violation of CSA standing order Sections 5, 3.5.2 & Sections 5, 3.5.1 as well as best international practice of retiring public sector employees.
The group also highlighted counts of constituted age of retirement for Public Sector Employees is 65 years as recorded on the Bio Metric Identification Card and the Civil Service Standing Order, noting that government is rather now illegally dismissing public sector workers before the prescribed retirement age.
Emmanuel Wise Jipoh writes
