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Cameroon: Timber Company Lays-Off 200 Workers
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The Post (Buea)
24 March 2008
Posted to the web 24 March 2008
Olive Ejang Tebug Ngoh
A Kumba-based timber company, Transformation Reef Cameroon, TRC, has terminated more than 200 workers without compensation.
Meme Divisional Delegate for Labour and Social Security, Peter Ndeli, disclosed the termination news to the workers on March 19.
The Delegate told them he received a communiqué from the Director General of TRC in Douala that because of the recent strike action that destroyed the company in Kumba, they are considering winding up.
To this effect, Ndeli explained, all the activities of workers in the company have been terminated. He revealed to the workers that the Director had insisted that only their 10 days salary would be paid. That is from February 25 to March 5, 2008.
According to the Labour Delegate, the Director said his decision was based on a "forsse macheur", a decision he claimed is neither caused by the employer nor the employee.
Ndeli told the workers that the Labour Code gives room for benefits to be paid in case of termination, which was not considered.
He said he has refused to sign the 10 days salary payment until some humanitarian considerations are fulfilled.However, he assured the workers that government is trying to intervene to see that TRC re-establishes in Kumba, for the sake of its workers.
According to him, work will resume in the company and the workers would be reabsorbed. However, the he said the workers would have to reapply through his office before their reemployment.
The Post learned officials of TRC had argued that the workers owe several millions to banks, with TRC as guarantor. It is stated that even if the workers' benefits are paid, it would be transferred directly to the banks to clear their financial situations.
Workers React
News of the workers' termination was received with consternation as most of them burst in tears in front the Labour office in Kumba.A worker, Emmanuel Eyong, said they would sit with their staff representatives and ensure no worker collects the 10-day salary.
He said TRC is not the only company affected by the strike to terminate its workers. He said about ¾ of the company's assets is still available and there is no reason to sack workers and call for reapplication.
"We would drag TRC to court if our full benefits are not paid," Eyong threatened.
Another worker, Pius Nanje Nabawka, sees their termination as a ploy between their Director, Carismma Jorge, and the Labour Delegate. He argued that the Delegate was not supposed to announce their termination in the place of their boss. He maintained that the call for reapplication is a means for them to lose all their benefits.
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Many of them told gory tales about their work and various accidents they had incurred, regretting the consequences the termination would have on them and their families.
58-year-old Eliassou Mbiako revealed that he had an accident on the leg while working in the company and two years to retirement the termination would make him die untimely.
Mbiako disclosed that he would not be employed again if he applies because of age and he would lose retirement benefits and longevity of service.
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