Agents involved in the organization of untimely wild strike movements at the SCPT have just been suspended by the Directorate General. According to concordant sources, this decision was recently taken with the agreement of the Ministry of the Portfolio and the General Labor Inspectorate. The latter has initiated investigations to establish the responsibility of the quarantine agents concerned.

Indeed, the competent authorities have clearly realized that the succession of movement of work stoppage by the agents of the SCPT is in violation of the regulations in this area.

The flagrant and arbitrary nature is justified, according to the relevant provisions of circular note 05/09 of 14 August 2009 on the procedural instructions for the use of the right to strike in the DRC, the stubbornness of certain agents by the inter-union to observe work stoppages as long as the legitimate claim has been submitted to arbitration by the General Labor Inspectorate and sanctioned by a partial conciliation report.

Therefore, the finding of disruption of the activities of society, social peace and services to be rendered to customers of the SCPT was obvious. Hence, the decision of the competent authorities to stop this behavior of some unions described as disrespectful and to make an immediate reframing before the situation deteriorates further.

In the meantime, agents suspended for investigative reasons denounce this measure and continue to demand the departure of the interim director general and four months of salary arrears. During the past week, they made a sit-in in front of the Kinshasa City governor’s office to announce actions of claims they will make on public roads. Because, access was forbidden them on the site of the SCPT.

Regarding the arrears, one of the agents of this company recognizes that since January of this year, five months were paid by the employer, the first month of this year 2019 during which they did not work. Despite this effort, there are another three months to pay in arrears to regularize the situation.

This is where the General Labor Inspectorate intervened to reconcile the two parties taking into account the cash flow difficulties that society knows.

According to an internal source, the monthly revenues of the SCPT are estimated at less than $ 30 000 for the services of the Post office and approximately $ 700 000 for those of telecoms (of payments which arrive often with delays). While the monthly payroll amounts to over $ 825 000 for a total of about 3,000 employees with less than 1,000 assets (of which nearly 80% have age, skill, upgrade problems , etc.)

This glaring financial imbalance is widening further with operating expenses, technical maintenance, debt payment and support of some of the company’s service providers as well as international commitments. This forces the general management to make arbitrations to face all the expenses of the company.

Moreover, the restoration of order within the SCPT passes, according to the understanding of the competent authorities, the exemplary sanction and the organization of union elections in order to install union delegates respectful of the laws of the Republic.

Emilie MBOYO