Staff raise concerns over job security, entitlements

EMPLOYEES of Port Moresby’s water supplier Eda Ranu have demanded that the Government and company management come clean on the details regarding the merging of Eda Ranu with Water PNG.
The employees held an urgent meeting at the company’s 4-Mile operations depot yesterday and asked the management of Eda Ranu, Kumul Consolidated Holdings Ltd (KCH) and the Government, through the Minister for Public Enterprise and State Investments, to respond.
They have called on the National Executive Council to reverse its decision to merge the two State-owned water companies and let Eda Ranu continue its operations as usual in Port Moresby.
The said if the Government went ahead with the merger, they would want to be paid entitlements immediately as per the current pay rate to remain under the new management.
They also said that the new management should pay off Eda Ranu staff housing scheme loans and their terms and conditions of employment should remain regardless of the merger.
Spokesperson Kevin Hecko said the employees were not aware nor were they consulted regarding the merger and were confused and concerned about job security, entitlements, terms and conditions of employment and housing loans that staff had obtained.
Eda Ranu’s chief operating officer Dr Fifa Matainaho told the staff that the company board and management were not aware of the details of the merger. “I will take your petition and give it to the board, requesting them to have an urgent meeting and take this up with KCH and address your grievances accordingly,” he said.
“But right now, we are not yet aware of the details regarding the merger,.
Public Enterprise and State Investments Minister William Duma announced last Friday that the two Government-owned water utilities would be merged under one board and management.