Monrovia — The United Workers Union of Liberia (UWUL), has called on ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) management to engage their workers in good faith negotiation for pay increments of workers following days of strike actions by workers of AML over unfair and low salaries.

The Secretary General of UWUL Mr. Dave J. Seneh in a press conference over the weekend, described the worker's action as "legitimate and timely" and called on AML to address the Workers Union's plight for pay increments and an end to disparities in job grade salaries.

Seneh said the decision of the AML workers on May 10, 2023, to lay down their tools in protest was legitimate and guided by session 41 of the Decent Work Act of 2015.

He said the worker's action was based on the AML management's refusal to settle salary disparities and implement a five-percent increment that the Ministry of Labor has already ruled in arbitration for the workers.

"ArcelorMittal is a highly profitable multinational company that can afford fair wages in Liberia. In recent public reports, ArcelorMittal has boasted of strong full-year financial performance in 2022, including operating income in the excess of Ten Billion United States Dollars workers in Liberia play a significant part in producing this wealth and AML needs to engage in good faith negotiations that address the Union's call for pay increases and an end to disparities in the job grade salaries," Seneh added.

He, however, said the workers have agreed and returned to work since Friday, May 19, 2023, after a series of meetings held with authorities of the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, the National Bureau of Concession, and the Ministry of Labor where the company has agreed to settle all salary disparities and other economic issues agreed in the CBA and increment retroactively.