Several workers of KADCO Enterprise in Freetown have staged a peaceful protest demanding the Ministry of Labour to look into issues of human rights abuses and breach of the country’s labour by the Indian company, KADCO Enterprises.
The management of KADCO Enterprises is accused of failing to honor end-of-service benefits commitments to workers, does not pay heed to the government minimum wage, while also failing to pay permanent workers who have served beyond the required casual period as required by the labour laws of the country.
The Indian company, like most other foreign companies involved in the manufacturing sector in the country, has been frequently indicted by its workers for falling to provide appointment letters, identification cards and other authentic documents to their workers.
This action, according to the workers, is deliberate on the part of the company, which banks on this anomaly not to honour end of service benefits of workers. Most times workers do not have anything to show that they had contractual agreements with these companies.
Felix Taylor, the Administrative Manager of KADCO Enterprises, noted that the company has a huge workforce and it cannot afford to make all of the workers permanent staff. He disclosed that these workers are gradually transformed as permanent workers as and when necessary.
Mr. Taylor denied the claim by workers that the company does not pay end of service benefits to workers.
The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Adekunle King, told the workers that the Ministry will meet with the management of KADCO Enterprises to look at the issues they have raised. He noted that some of the concerns the workers raised are legitimate while some are not.
Mr. King called on the workers to go back to work while the Ministry engages the management of the company. He urged those who do not want to work to write their resignation letters and that their benefits would be paid.
The Minister noted that most workers in the country lack knowledge on the labour laws and rights of workers and this, for them, is a huge challenge at the Ministry.
An investigation conducted by nigthwatch has revealed that most companies, including KADCO Enterprises, are in breach of a number of labour laws in Sierra Leone.
Many KADCO workers, who spoke to this medium, have noted that the company has not been honoring the payment of their NASSIT contributions and other labour related commitments. Safety standards remain poor and workers are exposed to a lot of hazards at their respective workplaces across the country. They noted that workers, who suffer from injuries during the work, are not given the much needed attention by management.
This medium is currently investigating all KADCO Enterprises workplaces across the country, including the alleged non compliance of labour and NASSIT related obligations with a view to provide a clearer picture of what obtains at the company.
Inside sources have intimated this medium that the KADCO management is currently attempting to get some workers to secretly sign contracts with them with a view to divide the agitated workforce and divert them from the current action to ensure that KADCO follows the labour laws of the country.
We are also closely following up the outcome of the meeting between KADCO Enterprises and the Ministry of Labour.