LIBERIA: Labour Ministry to rule in Long-Standing Labour Disputes

The Ministry of Labour will on tomorrow, Tuesday, April 11, 2023 give a ruling in two long-standing disputes before the Ministry as far back as 2021.

Announcing the decision recently, Labour Minister, Cllr. Charles H. Gibson said the Ministry is expected to rule in the cases involving the Workers’ Union Vs the Management of the Arcelor-Mittal Liberia and the Management of the Liberia Electricity Cooperation (LEC) Vs their Workers’ Union.

Both cases emanated from the separate Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), signed between the workers and their respective managements of the two companies.

The issues of contention being brought forth by workers in both companies in separate complaints filed before the Ministry of Labour range from salary disparities, increments in salary, overtime, and safety at work.

Speaking at a social dialogue meeting held with the Management of AML and the workers’ Union, Minister Gibson stressed the need for a “Grading System” to be put into place by Management based on categories of jobs being performed by workers.

He said the grading system in the workplace could be used as a motivational factor for workers and it should be in line with the policy of “Equal Pay for Equal Work”.

He noted that the Mandate of the Ministry of Labour is required to make ruling on labor cases whenever there is a deadlock and as such.

On Tuesday, April 11, 2023, beginning at 10:00 AM, the Ministry will give the first ruling on the LEC Case and at 11:00 AM, before ruling on the AML case in the conference room of the Ministry of Labour in Congo Town, outside Monrovia.

According to Minister Gibson, in the wisdom of the Ministry, negotiation had ended and what is now required in these cases is to decide to bring to an end long-standing disputes.

He said, these issues cannot continue to be held at the Ministry forever because they had been at the Ministry since 2021, and it is time to make a final determination any party that is not satisfied can take an appeal to the National Labour court, but the Ministry of Labour will no longer allow these matters to continue before it.