By Jacob J. Kanga
Labourers at Queen Elizabeth II Quay are yearning for better treatment and improve conditions of services from the “water quay” labour management.
The headman of the labour union at “water quay” Mr. Osman expressed solemn dissatisfaction over what he described as poor condition of service with no consideration on their well-being and occupational safety.
And in light of the ongoing deteriorating condition they are calling on relevant authorities to come to their aid in salvaging the excruciating challenges they are enduring under the hands of the labour management.
He maintained that, there is a written document between them and the labour management which serves as a legal agreement, which entails all what rightfully should be their condition of service other benefits that should be granted them.
Sadly, he added, all of what should be accorded them as prescribed in the agreement is not a reflection of the reality on ground.
He elaborated on the challenges his colleagues Labourers are facing, adding that many are being injured during the course of their work, whilst some have even lost their body parts such as their hands, eyes, fingers, serious body wounds, others have sustained serious internal injuries that have rendered them completely disabled. And all of this he said has not been properly addressed by the labour management, instead individual who suffered such causalities are left at the mercy of their relatives and love ones to foot the medical and other related. He maintained such shouldn’t be the case as spelt out in the written document that bind their mode of operations as Labourers
In added that, there is no safety or medical provision for those of his colleagues labour working in the rice, flour, salts, sugar and cement factories. Pointing out that inhaling these fumes exposes them to health hazards.
Mr. Osman explained that management do not provide them with proper protective gears, adding that they usually take turns in putting on a single pair of safety kit during working hours, as there aren’t enough kit for all, and instead of the kits being used for the intended purpose they ended up in the hands of street traders.
He Furthered, that there should be an increase in the payment of loading a bag of rice, sugar, onion and cement, as the current price rate is nothing to write home about.
He concluded that, level man power is the bed rock of any developed country, sadly he noted in Sierra Leone we give little consideration to the class of workers. He maintained that they have forded series of complaints to relevant authorities, they are yet to receive any official report in addressing their flight.
They are calling on the attention of the labour ministry to urgently intervene and proffer solutions to their problems.