Workers at the National Power Authority (NPA) yesterday downed tools protesting that they had not received their salaries for two months (June and July).
Speaking with one of the workers who preferred to be anonymous, he told Awoko that they received their May salaries at the start of August and the senior management officials promised that they would receive their June and July salaries yesterday.
“I was shocked when I came to the office at Percival Street and saw my work mates standing out of the office corridor and at the basement saying that we will not work if our salaries are not paid to us”.
He continued that early this month senior staff members who represented junior workers met with the board members who informed them that workers will only receive June salaries and it would be paid half in the bank and the balance will be paid later to the bank from which workers can only withdraw money after the elections.
A woman who also preferred not to be named said that what puzzled them most was the fact that instead of paying them salaries, new “Sierra Leonean experts” who came in from abroad were employed and paid fabulous sums of money as salaries.
She added “we know the job most of these experts do,” adding that “the money that we work at the office will be able to pay us our salaries monthly.”
At the basement where the workers were standing they disclosed that if they do not receive their salaries in full before elections they will again withhold their labor.
Shortly after, a meeting was called by top management officials, to settle the dispute, but their efforts proved fruitless as the workers demanded that they are paid all their arrears before the elections.
In an interview with a senior staff member, he assured Awoko that the matter will be resolved by the end of the day. As at press time it was understood that the workers had been paid.
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