Retired Firestone Worker Cries Out Over Unpaid Benefits After Years of Court Battle
former employee of Firestone Liberia is appealing to the company’s management to settle his retirement benefits, which he claims have remained largely unpaid for more than a decade following his retirement.
Moses Papaye Gibson
Margibi County, Liberia: A former employee of Firestone Liberia is appealing to the company’s management to settle his retirement benefits, which he claims have remained largely unpaid for more than a decade following his retirement.
Mr. William Cole, a resident of Reverse Town in Division #16 within the Firestone community in Margibi County, made the appeal during an interview with reporters over the weekend. According to him, despite retiring from the company in 2013 after years of service, he has yet to receive the full retirement benefits he believes are due him.
Cole explained that shortly after his retirement, he was placed on a monthly retirement payment of eighty-eight United States dollars. However, he alleged that the amount was later drastically reduced to just seven United States dollars per month, a situation he described as unfair and deeply troubling.
The former worker said the drastic reduction in his benefits has created serious hardship for him and his family. He noted that the small amount he currently receives is expected to cover basic needs such as food, healthcare, and the education of his children.
“It is very difficult for me and my family,” Cole said. “After working for many years with the company, this is what I have to depend on to survive.”
Mr. Cole further revealed that he and several other retired workers have been engaged in a prolonged legal battle with the management of Firestone Liberia for nearly nine years in an effort to obtain their full retirement benefits.
According to him, the matter has been taken to court on multiple occasions, and the court has reportedly ruled in favor of the retired workers. Despite those rulings, Cole claims the payments have still not been fully settled.
He added that the long delay in implementing the court’s decision has left many retirees facing severe financial difficulties, with some struggling to afford basic necessities such as medical care and daily meals.
Cole is now calling on the Ministry of Labour (Liberia) and the Government of Liberia to intervene in the matter and ensure that the company complies with the court’s ruling.
He expressed hope that the authorities will take the concerns of the retired workers seriously and help bring a resolution to the situation.
“We served the company for many years and helped contribute to its success,” Cole said. “All we are asking for now is for the company to honor its responsibility and give us the benefits we worked for.”
The management of Firestone Liberia has not yet publicly responded to the allegations made by the former employee. However, observers say the situation highlights ongoing concerns about the welfare and protection of retired workers in Liberia’s plantation sector.
