Liberia: FWUL Elects New Leaders To Run The Union For Two Year Term

The Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (FAWUL) has elected a new corps of officers to steer the affairs of the union for the next two years.

Those elected are Abel Ngigie, Chairman; Levi Seway, Co- Chair; Jarbo B. Kerkulah, Secretary General; Moses Saye, Assistant Secretary; Edwin Fallah, Grievance Committee Chair; Ben Henries, Treasurer; Mama Kolleh, Chaplain and Harris Kerkulah, Adviser.

This is the first workplace representative elections to be held by the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia since the passage of the Decent Work Act by the National Legislature.

There has been a standoff between the management of Firestone Liberia and its workers over a statement made by the General Manager when he was cited by the National Legislature on the company’s concession agreement with the Liberian Government.

The Firestone General Manager told the Legislature that his employees were receiving a minimum wage of US$8.37 per day.

This sparked serious disagreement among the employees, resulting to a strike action on the Firestone plantation last month.

The strike action brought the operations of Firestone Liberia to a standstill, resulting in the immediate intervention of the Ministries of Labor and Justice.

However, following a meeting with the workers at the Labor Ministry in Monrovia, they were requested to go and conduct elections so they would put in place a leadership structure that will put them in a better position to discuss issues with the management of Firestone Liberia.

In remarks following his election as Chairman of FAWUL, Abel Ngigie lauded the Liberian

government, especially the Ministries of Labor and Justice, for the timely intervention in addressing their plight.

Chairman Ngigie said he will not allow the management of Firestone Liberia to impose any policy that will be counterproductive to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, (CBA).

He also promised to work assiduously in the best interest of all employees of Firestone to ensure the much needed mutual respect and industrial harmony at the plantation.