By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor
Representative Iva K. Jones has called on the House of Representatives to summon officials of Firestone Liberia Incorporated, the Ministry of Labor, and the National Bureau of Concessions to explain what he describes as violations of key provisions of the company’s concession agreement with the Government of Liberia.
In a communication addressed to House Speaker Richard N. Koon, the lawmaker expressed concerns over Firestone Liberia’s reported outsourcing of several divisions and departments, a move he believes undermines employees’ contractual rights and benefits guaranteed under the company’s amended and restated concession agreement ratified on March 31, 2008.
According to the lawmaker, Firestone Liberia is obligated under the concession agreement to provide free medical care, educational opportunities, and housing benefits to its employees and their dependents. He cited Sections 9, 10.1, and 8.5 of the agreement, which outline the company’s responsibilities toward workers and their families.
Section 9 of the concession agreement mandates Firestone Liberia to ensure the availability of medical treatment, care, and attention for employees and their registered dependents at no cost. Section 10.1 requires the company to provide free educational opportunities, including junior high and high school education, to registered dependent children of employees. Meanwhile, Section 8.5 obligates the company to provide housing for employees entitled to such benefits.
Rep. Jones argued that Firestone’s increasing reliance on contractors through outsourcing arrangements threatens these longstanding benefits.
He alleged that the company has outsourced key operational divisions not because of poor performance or reduced productivity, but as part of a strategy to terminate workers and subsequently rehire them through contractors.
According to the lawmaker, workers employed under these contractor arrangements no longer enjoy the full benefits and protections provided under the concession agreement. He contended that such employees are deprived of access to healthcare, educational assistance, housing support, and participation in Liberia’s National Social Security and Welfare pension program.
“The action has not only deprived workers of rights enshrined in the concession agreement but also undermines their social security protections,” Jones asserted in his communication to the House.
The lawmaker further claimed that the outsourcing initiative represents a deliberate attempt to circumvent obligations outlined in the concession agreement and has raised concerns about the welfare of workers and their families who depend on benefits historically provided by Firestone Liberia.
As a result, Rep. Jones is seeking the appearance of Firestone Liberia officials, Labor Ministry authorities, and representatives of the National Bureau of Concessions before the plenary of the House of Representatives. He wants the institutions to provide explanations regarding the outsourcing practices and address allegations that the company is operating in violation of the concession agreement.
The request comes amid growing scrutiny of labor practices within Liberia’s concession sectors, where lawmakers and labor advocates have increasingly raised concerns about workers’ rights, employment conditions, and compliance with agreements between concession companies and the government.
If approved by the House plenary, the appearance of the concerned institutions could pave the way for a formal legislative inquiry into Firestone Liberia’s labor practices and adherence to its concession obligations, a development that may have significant implications for thousands of workers employed within the concession area and across Liberia’s wider labor sector.
