The Government of President Bio has, in a strong worded letter, instructed the management of Shandong Iron Ore Mine Group Chinese Company, operating the Tonkolili Mine Group, to abide by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between them and workers in payment of End of Service Benefits (EOSB).
It could be recalled that, earlier this week, the Company held a meeting at their office in Freetown where they admonished workers of the Company that they are closing down operations and would only pay workers 50% of their EOSB accrued for both of their services in the former African Minerals and Shandong Iron Ore Mine Group.
The Company, according to Labour Ministry officials, wrote and communicated this action to the Labour Ministry.
In their wisdom, the Ministry decided to convey a meeting slated for the 11th April, 2018 with the management of Shandong so as to properly discuss this redundancy plan and work out a mode of payment of the EOSB owed to workers.
“To the dismay of the Ministry, you asked for postponement of the meeting because of the absence from the country of one Mr. Navo who is a liason for management on all matters pertaining to Government Ministries,“ Ministry officials stated.
A correspondence dated 18th April, 2018 and addressed to the management of Shandong from the Labour Ministry noted that the second meeting, slated for the 18th April, 2018 to address this very important issue, could also not hold as established by Shandong authorities due to the same absence of Mr. Anthony Navo.
The letter stated that, as a responsible Ministry responsible for work place, peace and harmony they would not sit by and allow the current situation to degenerate into chaos and instability. The letter states that, “I am under instruction to inform you to implement the following measures immediately to pay all the redundancy benefits, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for both Junior and Senior Staff…’’ among other very strong directives by the Ministry’s correspondence.
The letter concludes by warning the management of Shandong Iron Ore Mine Group to closely work with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in addressing all matters relating to the welfare of workers.
It could be recalled that some senior Sierra Leonean nationals at the top cadre in the Chinese company and Ministry of Labour officials have, in the recent past, been compromising the welfare of workers by agreeing to and attesting to very inhumane and poor contract agreements as well as illegally dismissing Sierra Leone nationals who have stood for their rights for basic welfare conditions and as stipulated by Sierra Leonean law.
Many say the change of guards at the helm of affairs in the country would definitely require the Chinese company to be on a clean slate and accountable in addressing all pending welfare issues, such as personnel, NASSIT contributions and other End of Service Benefits due national workers.