{By Eldred Thomas/GNN-Liberia Senior Correspondent}
Following report that Firestone Liberia has drastically reduced its employee’ benefits, a member of the House of Representatives from Maryland County has reportedly written his colleagues to launch an investigation into the matter that benefits of senior retirees are been reduced by the Firestone Management.
Representative Bhofal Chambers informed his colleagues during Tuesday’s regular Session that the Company has reportedly reduced benefits of its retirees from 100% to 37.5% from 2006 to present forcing retirees who have worked over the years to go home without nothing.
According to Representative Chambers, those senior retirees of the company have consistently complained about the situation to authorities of the Ministries of State for Presidential Affairs, Justice and Finance and Development Planning.
He noted that authorities of those government ministries are yet to help in amicably addressing the concerns raised by the Firestone Liberia retirees.
Representative Chambers said the committee that clothed with the legislative over sight of that concession in the House of Representatives must intervene to find a solution to the problem of these former employees of Firestone Liberia.
His concerns were contained in a communication addressed to the House Plenary on Tuesday.
“Those people are Liberians who have over the years labored for the company, and as such should not be treated in such form and manner,” the Mayland lawmaker noted.
Representative Chambers stated that those senior retirees are also experiencing severe hardship as a result of the alleged reduction in the payment of their benefits by the Firestone Management.
He noted that his communication to his colleagues was prompted after his latest visit to the Company where the former workers lamented the ill-treatment been melted against them by the company, the world’s second largest rubber producer .
Representative Chambers who on the ticket of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) in the House of Representatives also called on his colleagues to invite the Ministers of Finance and Development Planning, Justice and State and Presidential Affairs to state reasons why such is happening surrounding the reported reduction of legitimate benefits of senior Firestone retirees.
Meanwhile, the House Plenary has mandated its Committees on Agriculture, Labor, Judiciary, Ways, Means and Finance to report to that August Body within one week, after a motion was filed by Grand Bassa County Representative Gabriel Smith.
