By Zainab Joaque
Scores of striking workers at Africell mobile phone company have returned to work after management committed themselves to meeting all their demands, agreeing in principle that a staff union should be formed.
Although some 88 contract workers at the call centre are now full time staff with hopes to benefit from the proposed salary review early next year, no exact figure is guaranteed.
The 24-hour-long negotiation, yesterday, which brought together the labour ministry, the telecoms regulator - NATCOM, management and representatives of the workforce, addressed salary increment for permanent staff from between 10 and 25 per cent, depending on salary scale, effective June this year.
Drivers would also get their Non-Accident Bonus, an issue that featured prominently in the workers’ demand.
“We wish they could agree to refund the Le 2.5 million to any worker who did not utilise their medical scheme at the end of the year. But the management did not agree to that,” said one of the workers.
Management has quoted medical insurance policy, which they say does not allow them to agree to such an arrangement, adding that while some of the issues were being addressed, they need to revert to their headquarters in Lebanon for further directives.
Politico first broke the story last week, weeks after the communication containing the complaints of aggrieved workers was out.
