Pierre Njie, a senior clerk at Gamtel’s Customer Care Department, has accused the company’s management of failing to address persistent issues regarding unpaid staff entitlements, despite repeated petitions and negotiations.
According to Njie, Gamtel employees have been struggling with salary delays and non-payment of statutory contributions. “We wrote to management in January and again in July regarding the late payment of salaries and the failure to remit our social security contributions. For the past three years, deductions meant for the Credit Union have not been paid, accumulating to about D13.4 million,” he disclosed.
Njie further explained that earlier this year, management introduced a social plan aimed at laying off 750 workers. While the first batch of affected staff have reportedly received their packages, a second group of employees those aged between 55 and 60 are still awaiting payment.
He also revealed that another category of about 350 workers, including cleaners, drivers, and security personnel who have served the company for over a decade, are being unfairly classified as contract staff. “The Department of Labour has already clarified that anyone who works beyond six months should be considered a permanent employee. Yet, management continues to treat them as contractors,” he said.
Njie lamented that these employees have neither received their severance payments nor their monthly salaries for September and October. “We are working in darkness, not knowing our fate. How can management expect us to continue working when we haven’t been paid for months?” he questioned.
He accused management of “dubious and corrupt” practices, citing the mismanagement of funds deducted for the staff Credit Union. “For three years, deductions were made from our salaries but never forwarded to the Credit Union. That’s outright corruption and cannot be ignored,” Njie asserted.
With the redundancy plan set to expire on 31st October, Njie warned that if the outstanding payments are not settled by then, staff will cease work and pursue legal action. “We expect justice to prevail. If management fails to act, no one will report to work on Monday. We are ready to defend our rights,” he concluded.
