28 Atlantic Seafood Staff Claim ‘Unlawful’ Sacking

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Aji Fatou Faal

28 June 2011

Twenty-eight former employees of the Atlantic Seafood Company have complained about what they called an absolute ‘exploitation’ of their rights by their former employer, who terminated their services since June 8 2007 without paying their services.

Six out of the 28 complainants who walked into the Observer Office’s told this reporter that the problem started since June 2007 when they returned from their annual leave and were informed that the company decided to effect new changes. Amie Camara, one of the complainants and a former assistant supervisor at the company, revealed that when she resumed work after her leave, she was informed that her employment contract had been terminated.

According to her, the proprietor later told them to either agree with the new changes and continue to work or they be paid their last two-month salaries. This she said was nine days’ interval given to them to decide whether to sign and agree on the new terms, which will terminate their employment contract with the company, or not. She said they denied signing the agreement.

For his part, Ebou Jarju, another former staff of the said company, said that after the problem, they reported the matter to the Gambia Commercial and Industrial Workers Union, who realised that the staff were sent on vacation and were paid salaries on 27th April 2007, due to the renovation and re-organization of the company as well as the installation of the Power Plant and Machinery. He noted that their complaints were lodged to the workers’ union’s secretary general, Pa Momodou K.B Faal. He explained that the union then demanded for the company to make immediate arrangement for the payment of the salary for the years the complainants worked for in the company.

Ndumbeh Bah, the former assistant supervisor of the company also said one Robin, a Dutch national who was overseeing the affairs of the company later substituted them for a new team from Senegal. “We later went to the company but surprisingly for us, there was a notice on the door which says that those who went to report the company to the workers union should not enter,” she explained. She further explained how their termination have affected their lives, adding that they have kids whose education have been affected seriously and they are not going to school since their parents can no longer afford to pay for them.

Reacting to the accusations, the factory manager of the Atlantic Seafood Company, Ndeneh Jallow however confirmed the sacking of the complainants, saying “we have paid all their services in full at the end of their contract with the company.” He revealed that the complainants have even sued the company to the court and the court ruled in favour of the company. He however stated that 32 of the staff of the company have agreed and signed the new changes whilst the 28 complainants refused to adhere to the changes.

AllAfrica – All the Time