Employees of Cellcom Guinée, a leading mobile phone company in Guinea, have been facing unprecedented hardship since the company was taken over by a new entity in 2023. According to Alexandre Niambalamou, secretary general of the company's delegation syndicale, the employees have not received their salaries for four months, including the 13th month, August's salary, and the current month's salary. This has left many workers struggling to make ends meet.
The situation has been exacerbated by the lack of transportation for employees to commute to work, as the company no longer provides a bus service. This has resulted in significant financial burdens on workers who have to pay for their own transportation to and from work. Furthermore, the employees' social security contributions have not been paid, adding to their woes. The situation has become so dire that many employees are finding it difficult to support their families.
The takeover of Cellcom Guinée by the new entity, Nobel, has been shrouded in controversy. According to Niambalamou, the takeover was done without consulting or informing the workers, which is a clear violation of labor laws. The employees claim that the new owner, Mohamed Diallo, has not invested any funds in the company since taking over, leading to a decline in working conditions and equipment.
The employees' plight has been further complicated by cases of workers being laid off without severance pay. Some workers have been out of work for over a year without receiving their dues, leading to financial hardship and, in some cases, eviction from their homes. The employees have taken the matter to court, but the process has been slow, and the judges are currently on vacation.
In response to their situation, the employees of Cellcom Guinée have launched a strike since September 7th. They are calling on the government to intervene and force the company to open up its capital to new investors who can revive the company. Alternatively, they are asking the government to take over the company for a symbolic fee, similar to what was done with MTN.
The employees have appealed to President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Telecommunications, Tchianguel, to come to their aid. They claim that many workers are unable to send their children to school due to the financial hardship caused by the company's actions. The employees are seeking urgent intervention to alleviate their suffering.
Despite repeated attempts, the Director of Human Resources at Cellcom Guinée was unavailable for comment. The employees' situation remains dire, and it remains to be seen whether the government will intervene to resolve the crisis.
Key points
- The employees of Cellcom Guinée have not received their salaries for four months.
- The company's takeover by Nobel has been criticized for lack of transparency and failure to invest in the company.
- The employees are seeking government intervention to resolve the crisis.
