By Alhagie F.S Sora Workers in the timber business who have been calling for a sit down strike unless their wages are increased, now have their demand met. This was disclosed to Foroyaa yesterday, Monday, 14 July 2014, by Bakary Barrow, one of the striking workers at the Farato – Bojang Kunda junction timber selling site. According to Mr. Barrow, their demands for the cost of loading a container to be increased from D7, 000 to D10, 000 has been accepted by the Chinese timber dealer. He said they have now commenced work at the various timber selling places in the Western Region. “Although, our immediate boss, a Gambian who is between us and the Chinese dealer, is presently away, the increase will also apply to us as soon as he returns since this was a collective bargaining agreement,” he said. He expressed hope that everything will proceed smoothly from now on. Another timber worker, Alagi Njie, who claims to have lost a finger at the workplace, for his part, said his injury compensation is yet to be settled by the Chinese owner. According to him, it was his colleagues at the work place who had raised and contributed the money used for his treatment. Efforts to talk to the Chinese proprietor have not been successful, but this reporter will try and contact him on the issues raised. It could be recalled that timber workers mainly from Brikama, Farato, and Busumbala have been calling for a sit down strike since last Thursday, 10th July 2014, and had even started mobilizing their colleagues in order to have more voices in their demand for a wage increase. At some point, the police had to invite them in an attempt to resolve the issue. These efforts have now yielded dividend.]]>
