…Say Terminal must abide by the law
The President of the Stevedores Section of USPOGUL, Adam Sayon Washington has vowed to prevail on the APM Terminals and other companies to ensure Liberians in their employ work for eight hours in line with the Liberian Law.
The Stevedores is a section of the United Seamen Ports and General Workers Union of Liberia with over 3,000 members; and body held its general elections recently on the Bushrod Island where several candidates won unopposed.
Those elected unopposed are Adam Sayon Washington – President, Victor D.M. Roberts – Vice president, Elijah Dosbeh Nyenkan – Secretary General, Nagbe Sonpon – Financial Secretary and Finda Fallah- Treasurer.
At the same time, members of the institution held an election for the post of Assistant Secretary for Operations post in which Stanley Sackor Moore Natt won his opponent Arthur Powo with 141 to 131 votes respectively.
Delivering his inaugural address Friday, February 24, 2024, on the Bushrod Island, the President said the Liberian law says all workers in the country must work for eight hours and his administration will ensure this law is respected by the company.
According to him, his focus as the head is to defend, protect, and restore the lost hope of all stevedores in Liberia.
“We have a great task ahead which is our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and I can promise you that your wish will be fulfilled in our (CBA) this year,” he stressed.
Mr. Washington also named the increment in wages of his members and the increment in the number of lasers on all container vessel operations.
The head of the group maintained that all stevedore companies in Liberia must have a bank deposit before the body can work for them.
“Stevedoring agencies during container operation must have Ten Thousand United States Dollars (US$10,000) while stevedoring agencies during rice vessels must have one Hundred United States Dollars (US$100,000),” he added.
The Stevedores Boss further promised with the collective effort of his team and the entire leadership, to abolish the issue of delay in the payment.
He indicated that APM Terminals Liberia will take responsibility for all stevedores working in the terminal through insurance coverage both medical and benefits, stressing that the company wants to take the lion’s share of the money.
“We signed a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Liberia Shipping and Stevedoring Association of Liberia (SSAL) and the SSA has a contract agreement with APM Terminals Liberia and we don’t know what is in their contract agreement with APM Terminals, therefore I will make show APM Terminals and SSAL will pay all our stevedores that work for Cavalla brother corporation (CBC) and Stevent stevedoring Agency,” Adam Sayon Washington averred.
The colorful event brought together scores of members of the union, officials from the Liberian Government particularly the Ministry of Labor, the Liberia Labor Congress, the United Workers Union of Liberia, and the Dock Workers Union of Liberia among others.
