Biiso-Masindi road workers demonstrate over delayed pay
Waswa said that most of the workers are starving since they don’t have money to buy food in restaurants; landlords are demanding it, as they also gamble to ensure their families are sustained back home.
By Our Reporter
Masindi: The employees attached to CRCG Company that was subcontracted by STC, which is tarmacking Biiso-Masindi Road, are demonstrating overdue pay.
Mr. Waswa Bernard, who is working as a foreman, told this publication Friday that they have spent three months without receiving their salaries.
He stressed that they lastly received part of their salary in September this year, and out of the 1.4 million shillings he is demanding from the company, he was only paid 150,000 shillings.
Waswa said that most of the workers are starving since they don’t have money to buy food in restaurants; landlords are demanding it, as they also gamble to ensure their families are sustained back home.
Mr. Musa Etooma, a driver with STC who hails from Kibaale district, says whenever they demand to be paid, the management of STC says their main contractor, CRCG, has not yet paid, and it has been three months. He disclosed that, previously, when they attempted to strike twice, they were given 50,000 shillings, which is inadequate to meet their needs.
Annatole Babyesiza, a resident of Siiti B in Biiso Sub County, says as residents, they are worried that the STC employees may turn out to be wrongdoers due to starvation since they don’t have alternative income.
We couldn’t get a comment from the STC authorities by press time; however, Longino Biheebwa, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Buliisa, acknowledged that he was aware of the situation but has already engaged UNRA, STC, and CRCG, who committed to handling the issue by the end of this week.
According to Longino, he was assured by the management of STC that all workers would be paid before Christmas day. ‘’The management assured me that they would pay the workers before Christmas,’’ he noted.
This is not the first time workers have demonstrated; last month, they blocked Biiso-Masindi Road, demonstrating over delayed pay, and the matter was intervened in by the RDC.
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