Aggrieved Workers Protest in Demand of Salary Increment at Ministry of Transport- Latest Liberian news

MONROVIA – The aggrieved employees held placards in their hands and locked the gates and entrance of the Ministry of transport demanding an increment in salaries and benefits.

The aggrieved employees are said to have spent over five years with the ministry and are paid below the Decent Work Act of 2015.

“We are working in this ministry and our paid cannot commensurate your needs. It’s a total violation of the Decent Work Act. President Weah, you need to listen to this and act now,” said one of the workers, who asked to not be named for fear of reprisal.

Section 16.1 of the Decent Work Act provides that Liberians working in both private and public institutions are entitled to a minimum wage of US$0.68 per hour or US$5.50 per day or a minimum of US$150.00 per month.

However, the protesting employees told journalists that they are earning below US$100.00, which according to them is a violation of the Decent Work Act.

They added that the monthly earnings cannot commensurate with their needs while their children are dropped out of school due to huge tuition burdens.

The protesting Employees comprising of inspectors, climate scientists, and maintenance officers noted that the ministry is in the constant habit of paying them far less than US$150 monthly, something they said is unacceptable.

They have further threatened to assemble today, Monday to continue their demand for just pay.

But responding to the aggrieved workers, a defiant Minister of Transport, Samuel Wlue ignored the workers’ complained and vowed to deal with them administratively.

“I will use all legal and administrative means to resist any plan protest by any employee of the Ministry of Transport,” Wlue said.
Meanwhile, the president of the Civil servant Workers Union of Liberia, Mulbah K. Johnson said the salary harmonization introduced by the Government was done in good faith, but the delay in salary disbursement has caused a serious problem for civil servants across the country.

Johnson said as president of the Civil servant Workers Union of Liberia, plans are on the way to talk to the relevant Authority to curtail the issue of salary increments and stop the continued protest in the country ahead of the October election.

By: Daniel Cole