200 port workers lose jobs

The National Main Stories

By HELEN TARAWA
Over 200 workers are without jobs after the Port Moresby wharf shut down operations on Sunday.
The Government’s decision to move the wharf from Fairfax Harbour to Motukea has left Port Services with no choice but to make its employees redundant.
Workers gathered at Lalokau FM radio station on Tuesday where they expressed their concerns over the manner in which they had been left jobless.
They said they were not guaranteed employment at Motukea despite Public Enterprises and State Investments Minister William Duma’s assurance that their jobs were safe.
Spokesmen for the workers, Dadi Toka Jr and Lohia Boe Samuel, presented a petition to Port Services’ management yesterday asking for a proper compensation package.
The workers said Port Services had been the biggest employer of Motu-Koitabuans for the past 20 years and they had guaranteed lifetime employment.
In their petition, the workers asked for a compensation to cover the loss of future wages for a certain period of time, ex gratia payment and future employment opportunities.
Paiva Memairi, who started with Ports Services in 2009, said the Government’s decision had resulted in their jobs being affected.
“They assured us that our jobs would be secure but last Sunday, when the wharf closed, Port Services closed its doors and we were told we had no jobs,” he said.
John Auto said they were given a short notice on the redundancy exercise which left them no guarantee for future jobs.
“We are appealing to the Government and MPs to immediately step in and fight for our jobs,” he said.
Mabata Udia said they were uncertain about their redundancy package, with a lot of them having served over many years.
Ore Malala said they appreciated being employed by Port Services and it was unfair that their future should be affected by the Government’s decision.
Malala, on behalf of the few women workers, said they were now facing the prospect of unemployment.
However, Duma told The National yesterday that most of the employees would be absorbed into the new workforce.