LIBERIA: Rubber plantations to lay off thousands

Thousands of workers in the rubber sector would soon be laid off due to the prolong drop in the price of the commodity on the global market.

In a statement issued by the General Agriculture and Allied Workers Union of Liberia (GAAWUL), an umbrella organization of workers within the sector, the group said the drop in the price of rubber has taken a hard hit on Liberian rubber plantations to the effect that their members at these plantations have not taken pay for five months.

GAAWUL named some of the Liberian owned rubber plantations as the Morris American Rubber Company in Todee District, Montserrado County; Cocopa Rubber Plantation, Nimba County; Provincial Farms, Margibi County, among others.

"The condition has claimed GAAWUL's attention due to the fact that employees in these entities have not been paid for more than five months, which has brought hardship on the employees of the Liberian local rubber farmers," the statement signed by 24 officials of GAAWUL said.

GAAWUL is worried that these plantations may soon be closed which may put thousands of Liberians out of jobs including closure of schools and hospitals run by these companies.

The agriculture workers ' union said it is appealing to the government of Liberia and the international community to financially intervene quickly so as to save the Liberian owned rubber plantations.

Source: Daily “The New Dawn”, Monrovia; 7 Jan 2016
(Syed Rashid Ali, Karachi, Pakistan)