Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Free Union of Workers of Santo Antão (SLTSA) denounced, this Monday, 15, that a group of workers from the company Spencer Construções e Imobiliária (SCI) has not received a salary for more than two months. A situation that, according to him, is recurrent, accusing the company of mistreatment of workers and psychological torture. When contacted, the company guarantees that the situation is already settled and refutes accusations of mistreatment.
In a statement sent to the press, the permanent secretary of the SLTSA, Carlos Bartolomeu Gomes, indicated that, despite the delay in the payment of salaries, “there has been no information or clarification on the part of the company’s directors”, neither for the workers nor for the to the union that represents them.
“Trata-se duma situação recorrente que os trabalhadores têm vindo a passar, com compromissos sócio financeiros, nomeadamente, famílias, menores em idade escolar, saúde, alimentação, sem esquecer de compromissos bancários”, sublinhou.
Atraso regularizado
Entretanto, contactada, a empresa explicou que havia um atraso de um mês, mas que já foi regularizado.
“There was a month, with a few days late, but it has already been paid. The following month we will pay now. Normally, we pay between 10 and 20, so it will be paid this week and everything will be settled”, guaranteed SCI administrator João Spencer.
Lawsuits and ill-treatment
On the other hand, says unionist Carlos Bartolomeu, at the moment, the union is in the process of filing lawsuits against the company, taking into account that there are workers in a situation of termination of contracts, to try to recover their rights.
In this sense, he launches an appeal to the Government and to the municipal councils of the island of Santo Antão, in the sense of reviewing the way in which the contracts for the execution of works, signed with the aforementioned company, which, according to him, are dealing with the workers with “inhumanity, mistreatment” and “psychological torture”.
“We have been calling the attention of the Government of Cape Verde, so that it adopts an inspection posture, through the entities with responsibilities in this matter. It is not enough to give them works or other types of services, and make it a way of torturing them (the workers). It is a very difficult and complicated company, from the point of view of dialogue”, he accused.
company refutes
About these accusations, João Spencer says he is not aware of any case of mistreatment of company workers and challenges journalists to interview them, to find out if they feel mistreated.
“I don’t know what the mistreatment that can exist in a company like ours is. If every year we have an employee leaving the company, that’s a lot. We have the best salaries, perks and treatment. If the union says that there is mistreatment, I advise you to go and file a complaint with the General Directorate of Labor and act accordingly”, he challenged.
staff reduction
Regarding workers on termination of contracts, João Spencer says that the company created a process, mediated by the General Directorate of Labor, to reduce some employees, due to lack of activities. However, he guarantees, everything is being done as required by law.
“We act in accordance with the advice of the General Directorate of Labour. Workers’ rights are being defended, and the union, as always, while the law says it’s 20 days, they want to negotiate 30 days. We act in accordance with the law”, explained João Spencer.
Need for representations on the island
The union emphasizes that it has been “calling the Government to its senses”, regarding the need to create representations at the island level, both for the “DGT” and the “IGT”.
This would be, as he said, a form of persuasion of these “abusive situations” on the part of the employers, to the detriment of workers.
To workers, he also appeals not to close themselves in cups in the face of work problems.
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