The Management of the Bea Mountain Mining Company and Workers’ Union are set to embark on a new Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA), negotiation.
The disclosure was made over weekend at the closed of a two-day capacity building workshop for the newly elected leadership of the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC), Workers Union.
The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Gold and Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union of Liberia with support from the Management of BMMC.
The Gold, Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union of Liberia is the Bargaining Agent or mother union for the Bea Mining Workers Union. It is the National Union or Mother Union recognized by the Ministry of Labour to spearhead workers’ activities in the Mining Sectors in Liberia including the Bea Mountain Mining Company, Western Cluster and MNG Gold in Bong County.
Speaking during the opening of the workshop, Mr. Macauley Gecleo, Secretary General of the Gold and Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union of Liberia said that the workshop is intended to educate the leadership of the workers of BMMC on their roles and responsibilities for the next two years as the workers’ leaders.
He stressed that “there is a need for union leaders to have the necessary understanding and training about their responsibilities, especially working in the mining sector where there are frequent labour conflicts and grievances.
As such, they must have the understanding on how to mitigate these situations. Therefore, our Union in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour with support from the Management of BMMC have organized the event to build the capacity of the union leaders to enable them effectively and efficiently lead activities of the over 5000 workers of the company.”
He added that Bea Mountain is very key to the government because it provides over 5,000 employments opportunities for citizens, therefore, is important that there exist industrial peace and harmony at this mining site at all time.
“Before we took over as Mother Union of the Local Workers’ Union, there were struggles between workers and management, especially as it relates to salary, employment contracts, working conditions, and preference for Liberians to employment and not much were done to address these situations in the past. when invited to serve as Mother Union over six months ago, with our involvement, there has been calm at the mining site and the constant protestation has been put to rest because we are working with management and workers to ensure that these issues and others are resolved amicably to in increase industrial peace and harmony.
The Gold, Diamond and Mines Workers of Liberia, Secretary General said, one of the key objectives of the workshop is to prepared the newly elected leadership of Local Union for the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), negotiation between the management and Workers which is expected to start soon.
He said during these negotiations, which is expected to involve some workers who will advance proposals gear toward improvement in benefits and working conditions for the workers. All sides remain hopeful that the pending negotiation will be characterized by cordial relationship between the management and workers.
Mr. Gecleo assured the government and Bea Mountain Corporation that continuous protestation they knew before at the workplace is now of the past and that his union is committed to ensuring social dialogue, working with all parties including the Ministry of Labour in resolving any future labour related disputes and workers actions.
The Assistant Labour Minister for Trade Union Affairs and Social Dialogue, Rufus T. Saylee who welcomed the conduct of the two-day event intended to educated leaders on their role and responsibilities which he described as key to promoting peace in the labour sector of the country.
Assistant Minister Saylee expressed that the government is doing everything possible to ensure workers across the country are satisfied noting that the CBA negotiation will commence between the workers and management at which time it is expected that several issues relating to the workers welfare will be considered for discussion.
“Is not just easy for workers to be satisfied, but we at the Ministry of Labour are doing everything to ensure that the rights of workers across Liberia are protected in line with the Decent Work Act which is the Labour Law of Liberia” he added.
The Deputy Minister for Planning and Manpower Development, Steve S. Kolubah hailed the organizers and participants of the workshop especially coming head of the CBA negotiation between workers and management noting that it places the new union leaders in a better position to represent the interest of their members.
He assured the Union leaders that the pending negotiation is going to succeed because when workers succeed, it means that the Ministry of Labour has also succeeded.
The workshop which was held in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Labour brought together senior management team, the LRA, ILO, NASSCORP, union leaders, amongst others. Topics presented during the two days event by facilitators were drawn from the Ministry of
Twenty-six members of BMMC Local Workers Union received certificates of participation.
“We are very delighted for this capacity building workshop because it has afforded us the opportunities as workers’ leaders to understand our roles, responsibilities and rights as workers in the workplace.
One key presentation during the workshop is Taxpayers Rights and Responsibilities (Personal Income and Tax Calculation), which educated on how taxes are calculated and deduction are made.
