Contractor dismisses claims by employees

By PISAI GUMAR
LNG project major sub-contractor, McConnell Dowell and Consolidated Contractors Joint Ventures (MCJV) has described claims by its  employees over pay deductions as unfounded.
It also dismissed claims by a councillor from Komo in Southern Highlands that heavy equipment hire rates and quarry material were being paid lower than the agreed rates.
According to the MCJV administration, all employees were paid according to the agreement signed between them and the company.
As a contractor under the Esso Highlands Ltd, the employees were recruited on merit, technical knowledge and skills related to various fields of expertise, a spokesman for the management said in Lae yesterday.
The spokesman said an employee’s pay rate was “determined by his or her trade skills and experiences”.
“The claim by the employees to work 21 days and receive 14 days pay was totally untrue,” the spokesman said.
He also said that the MCJV management had not threatened any employees when they tried to seek labour and industrial relations laws.
“However, MCJV takes onboard any issues that affects the work force and resolves it immediately,” he said.
MCJV also dismissed allegations over unnecessary tax deductions saying that tax in MCJV payroll was based on the national government’s taxation laws.
“The employees raised their grievances early last month which MCJV has taken into consideration,” he said.
The MCJV staff at Komo airfield and associated works site also dismissed claims by ward councillor Habe Pazape regarding the second issue.