— As SRC Workers set company’s headquarters, Plantation Manager’s home ablaze
The workers of the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) engaged in a violent protest on Thursday, leading to chaos and destruction at the plantation. The protest was fueled by the workers’ dissatisfaction with the management’s handling of their absence during a previous protest action.
The protesters targeted the SRC administrative headquarters, setting some buildings on fire and causing property damage.
The workers had been on a week-long strike, citing alleged exploitation and poor labor conditions that had persisted for several years without resolution from the management.
Their demands included improvements to housing facilities, timely replacement of tapping tools, access to medical treatment, subsidized rice, transportation to work, and fair bonus calculations, among other grievances.
Following negotiations between the SRC management and the Salala Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (SAWUL), an agreement was reached to address some of the workers’ concerns and continue discussions during the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process.
However, tensions resurfaced on Thursday, June 27, when the workers insisted on being compensated for the five days they were out protesting, a demand that was reportedly resisted by the Plantation Manager.
The refusal of management to this demand enraged the protesters, led by one of the tappers, a Nigerian national only identified as Okoro, who early Thursday morning ransacked the SRC administrative headquarters and set ablaze the administration building that housed the offices of the company’s general manager and other top administrative staff.
Subsequently, the protesters threw stones at the windows of other buildings, looted bags of rice, and proceeded to the senior staff housing area where they set ablaze the home and the assigned vehicle of Plantation Manager Sangeeth Sathyan, resulting in their destruction.
The general manager, Ajith Kumar, and the plantation manager, Sathyan, were rescued from the aggrieved workers by the company security after they attempted to stab him.
As per accounts, the SRC’s general manager and other senior administrative personnel were temporarily confined in their residences before being escorted to safety by the company’s security. A substantial presence of Liberia National Police arrived at the scene to avert any escalation, but the protesters had already dispersed by that time.
A group of over 500 tappers, and other employees and contractors of the company last week initiated an indefinite protest against what they viewed as worker exploitation and poor labor practices by the management. They alleged that these unfavorable conditions had persisted for more than three years without any meaningful action taken by the management, despite repeated requests for improvement.
In a 13-point document presented to the Salala Agricultural Workers Union of Liberia (SAWUL) leadership, the aggrieved workers demanded various improvements, such as the immediate renovation of housing facilities, timely provision of tapping tools, access to proper medical treatment, subsidized rice, transportation assistance, differentiated bonuses, and adjustments to production targets for bonus calculations.
Following discussions between the SRC management and the workers’ union leadership during a meeting on Friday, June 21, 2024, an agreement was reached to address six of the thirteen demands immediately, with further negotiations to be conducted during the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) formulation process.
Despite the agreement, the workers insisted on being compensated for the days they were on strike, leading to disagreements within the management team, especially Plantation Manager Sathyan, who reportedly resisted the workers’ demands.
The violent protest and destruction of property highlight the escalating tensions between the workers and management at SRC. The situation remains tense, with the need for further dialogue and resolution to address the workers’ grievances and prevent further disruptions, some stakeholders from the county told reporters yesterday.
The police commander of Margibi County, Assistant Chief of Police, Augustine Hallie, said a squad from the Police Support Unit (PSU) of the Liberia National Police was yesterday deployed in the area to restore law and order. Police have arrested one of the suspected employees who was involved in the arson attack on the company.
Weala has a track record of violence in recent years as occasioned by the burning down of the Baypolu Magisterial Court and the Police depot and the ransacking of several private homes two years ago.
Meanwhile, the SRC’s management and the aggrieved are yet to speak concerning Thursday’s violent incident.
