Negotiations on a Collective Bargaining Agreement involving the Management and Workers of DEKO Mining Company have opened in Monrovia with a call to engender balance in the agreement.
Assistant Labor Minister for Trade Union Affairs, Boakai Sirleaf has urged the negotiating parties not to compromise issues that border on management and workers’ rights.
Mr. Sirleaf noted that negotiation is the surest way to promote labor harmony and called on the two parties to stimulate the ‘give and take’ approach in the process.
He said the happiness of the workers and the management is the concern of the Liberian Government.
”Please negotiate knowing that the workers have to survive, management has to survive, government has to survive and the entire Country has to survive”, he added.
“Once you are willing to talk you will solve all you issues” Mr. Sirleaf pointed out.
Mr. Sirleaf said the Ministry of Labor is grateful for the decision of both the Parties for initiating the process of negotiation that would pave the way for the signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Assistant Labor Minister paid tribute to his Boss Moses Kollie for his commitment in making sure that issues that were seen as an obstacle between the Workers and the Management of DEKO Mining Company were resolved, thus paving the way for the negotiation process.
He urged them not to consider nothing too difficult to stall the negotiation process and admonished the two parties to unite in finding common ground on every count in the document.
Striking the Balance
The Project Manager of DEKO Mining Company said the aim of the company is to strike a balance benefits sharing for both the workers and the Management.
Mr. Abdullah Hakin Izmirligil said after the signing of the CBA,his Company intends to increase employment in support of the government’s job creation agenda.
Mr. Izmirligil said DEKO Mining has long lifespan in Liberia to operate and that the Company is planning to increase its investment in an attempt to contribute to the Country’s economy.
He recognized that the workers and the management are one family and assure that good working relationship with the workforce. “Day by day we are increasing our production”
Mr. IZmirligil described the signing of the CBA as significant to promoting benefit-sharing and labor harmony within the workings of the company.
The Secretary General of the United Workers Union, the Union Representing the Interest of the DEKO Workers, Dave Sneh expressed the hope that the negotiation will produce what he calls a “win-win” situation in the interest of both parties.
Mr. Sneh said his workers through UWUL are supportive of the Company operation and warned that the Company must also accept the generosity of the workers in the spirit of oneness.
He indicated that the Union has no intention to strangulate the operations of the Management once the Decent Work is upheld in the interest of all.
Representatives are attending the negotiation process from DEKO Management, the local Workers and the United Workers Union of Liberia.
DEKO Mining Company is contracted by the BEA Mountain Company to conduct its mining activities in Grand Cape Mount County.
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