Minister Kruah’s Intervention Ends Firestone Shutdown -Successfully Brokers MOU Between Company & Workforce
MONROVIA – Following days of industrial shutdown at Firestone Corporation, Labor Minister Cooper Kruah has reportedly successfully brokered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ending the standoff.
It can be recalled Minister Kruah, at the head of a high-powered Government Crisis Resolution Team, which included the Director-general of the National Bureau of Concessions Hon. Theodore Momo, engaged management, leaders of the Firestone Agricultural Workers Union (FAWUL), the Liberia Labour Congress (LLC) over the Firestone crises before successfully concluding an agreement which led to restoration of normal labour activities at the plantation.
A Labor Ministry release disclosed that the two-day strategic tripartite dialogue initiated by Minister Kruah dealt with the most critical aspect of an earlier MOU entered into by both workers and Management containing a somewhat “dubious” clause, calling for ‘USD 80.00 increment, spread over a three-year period, 2025-2027, for workers.
According to the press release, the lack of specificity as to what this amount was intended for, whether an annual salary increment or a bonus, led to the workers’ dissatisfaction that triggered the industrial unrest at Firestone.
At the height of the crisis, the Labour Minister who was mandated by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to ensure an immediate resumption of work at the plantation, launched 48 hours of intensive negotiations, using ‘social dialogue at workplace’ in line with standing ILO Conventions.
In addition to the USD 80.00 controversy, the aggrieved workers at Firestone outlined a list of other demands, including retirement/service benefits, removal of the Human Resources Manager and Resources Director, wrongful dismissals, among others.
The Labour Minister, the release noted, pleaded with leaders of the striking workforce to ensure immediate end to their action while negotiations were underway, and after hectic deliberations which lasted up to midnight Friday, January 31, a final agreement was secured from both parties, culminating in the memorandum of understanding attested by the Liberian Government through Labour Minister Kruah.
The MOU stated in part: “…Whereas, Firestone and the FAWUL entered into a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in February 2022 for a period of three years to govern the relationship between Firestone and FAWUL; Whereas, the parties commenced negotiation for another CBA in September 2024, and while still negotiation was proceeding under the guidance and supervision of the Ministry of Labour, FAWUL and its mother union announced and commenced a go-slow/strike action on January 30, 2025, and have remained on strike as of today, January 31, 2025.
“After extensive discussions between Firestone, the Union, the National Bureau of Concessions and the Ministry of Labour, the union have agreed to return to the negotiation table to continue the CBA negotiation on terms and conditions her in provided.”
The MOU empowered the union to call on its members to resume work immediately, while remaining issues associated with the ongoing CBA negotiations are being addressed.
Labour Minister Kruah, officials of Firestone, NBC and Union thanked all parties for the breakthrough under the MOU which took immediate effect with full resumption of work at the company.
Meanwhile, negotiations on the remaining sticky issues will commence on Wednesday, February 5, under the supervision of Labour Minister Kruah.