Bea Mountain Management, Workers On New CBA Negotiation -End capacity building workshop (Inside story)

The Management of the Bea Mountain Mining Company and Workers’ Union have embarked on a new Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) negotiation.

The disclosure was made over weekend at the closed of a two-day capacity building workshop for the newly elected leadership of the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC) Workers Union.

The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Labour in collaboration with the Gold, Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union of Liberia with support from the management of BMMC.

The Gold, Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union is the bargaining agent or mother union for the Bea Mining Workers Union. It is the national union recognized by the Ministry of Labour to spearhead workers’ activities in the country’s Mining Sectors, including the Bea Mountain Mining Company, Western Cluster and the Bong County-based MNG Gold.

Macauley Gecleo, Secretary General of the Gold, Diamond Mines and Energy Workers Union, said that the workshop intends to educate the leadership of the workers of BMMC on their roles and responsibilities for the next two years as the workers’ leaders.

“There is a need for union leaders to have the necessary understanding and training about their responsibilities, especially working in the mining sector where there are frequent labour related conflicts and grievances,” Mr. Gecleo told the workers during the opening ceremony.

As such, he urged them to understand the various ways of mitigating labour related situations.

Therefore, our Union in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour with support from Management of the BMMC. 

He then explained how BMMC’s Management organized the event to build the capacity of the union leaders to effectively lead activities for the over 5000 workers of the company.

Mr. Gecleo recalled how workers of the company went to the poll on November 23, 2024, and elected a 26-member new local leadership of BMMC.

He noted that the company being considered as one of the biggest mining companies in the country, and often faced with many labour issues arising from workers and management relations as well as workplace conditions. Therefore, Gecleo said, it was important that the new leadership (elected by their co-workers) understand their obligations to their members, management and the government through the Ministry of Labour.

He added that Bea Mountain is very key to the government, “because it provides over 5,000 employments opportunities for citizens, therefore, is important that there exists industrial peace and harmony at the mining site at all times.”

“Before we took over as mother union of the local workers’ union, there were struggles between workers and management, especially as it relates to salary adjustment, employment contracts, working conditions and preference for Liberians to employment; not much were done to address these situations. when invited to serve as mother union over six months ago, we have restored calm at the mining site, because we are working closely with management and workers to ensure that these issues and others are resolved amicably.

 One of the key objectives of the workshop was to prepare the newly elected leadership of local union for the upcoming CBA, negotiation between the management and workers which is expected to start soon.

According to Mr. Gecleo, during these negotiations, which is expected to involve some workers who will advance proposals gear toward improvement in benefits and working conditions for the workers, it also hopes to be held under friendly atmosphere which will help to enhance relationship between the management and workers.

He then assured the government and the BMMC that continuous protests they knew before at the workplace are now something of the past and that his union is committed to ensuring social dialogue, working with all parties including the Ministry of Labour in resolving any future labour-related disputes and workers actions.

The Assistant Labour Minister for Trade Union Affairs and Social Dialogue, Rufus T. Saylee, who welcomed the conduct of the two-day event, emphasized   that it was to educate leaders on their respective roles and responsibilities, which he described as “key to promoting peace in the country’s labour sector.

He noted that the Ministry of Labour stance to benefit when the mother union and local unions agreed to work together to reduce conflicts in the workplaces.

Deputy Minister for Planning and Manpower Development, Steve S. Kolubah, hailed the organizers and participants of the workshop, especially coming ahead of the CBA negotiation between workers and management.

The workshop which was held in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Labour brought together senior management team, the LRA, ILO, NASSCORP, union leaders.

Facilitators presented on topics including functions and responsibilities of mother union, local union leadership and management; taxpayers rights and responsibilities (Personal Income and Tax Calculation); grievance management and procedures; management policies and Conflict management.

Twenty-six members of BMMC Local Workers Union received certificates of participation.