Workers at Chinese logging company return to work today

Several workers attached to a Chinese logging company, Ping Establishment, at Coomacka Mines, who downed tools on Friday last due to unfair treatment, have returned to work following the intervention of Region Ten Chairman Renis Morian and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock.

The protest several days ago saw residents of Coomacka seeking the urgent intervention of the Regional Chairman since they claimed that their rights were being trampled upon by the management of the company.
Morian disclosed that he was invited by the residents who told him of several malpractices and as such, he sought to have the allegations investigated. He said that among the allegations made were workers working overtime without compensation, lack of safety gears, summary dismissals of workers who objected to this and other malpractices.
The Regional Chairman, in a discussion with the owners of the company, stressed that the Government takes the security of tenure and workers safety very seriously.

As such, he reinforced that the Regional Administration also sees workers’ rights and payments as very serious issues, and they won’t allow those to slip. In addition, a team comprising the Regional Chairman, Minister Allicock, and the Labour Officer met with the company during which the matter was amicably addressed.
“We were able to come up with a number of solutions to the many issues that were facing workers and we are happy that the management of the Coomacka based company was receptive and willing to have the issues addressed. This resulted in the workers being satisfied with the decisions and subsequent actions of management,” the Regional Chairman stated.
The Regional Chairman further stated that the workers are all expected to return to work today.