Fishy business. The Social Impact of SST.pdf - Act Now!

In regard to the production, by the end of 2004 the company was processing 100 tones perday. We have 2 shift (the day shift and one in the night to 12.am morning) which areexpected to process 50 tones as per shift. This was the target but not always happened.Because of some of the other problems associated with employees, transportations, etc andalso because we have a lot of people who are unskilled obviously and it takes time for themto learn and get used to doing the job they do. Thus, we end up to 70 tones per day.The problems as I have highlighted earlier: many absenteeism, complains for low pay,accommodation that’s we wanted to employ people with accommodation in town, andespecially transportation. We have a real problem for our night shifts because there is nottransportation available for them. Since most working in the production are women, its veryrisk for them and not always would their husbands and parents allow them to come to workat night.The pay issue is something that needs a complete overhaul in the country. The industriallabour rate is 60 per hour and that to me is honestly not sufficient to get anyone through theweek or for two weeks for that matter. The labour laws for PNG are 50 years old and in thisday and age you cannot survive with such rates. The SST pays 66 toea per hour which endsus at K90 per fortnight and that is still not enough to see anyone through to the next payweek. It’s not the fault of the company that employees are poorly paid but it the labour andindustrial rate and needs to improve. I have been fighting for the labour rates to be at K1.20per hour and that’s one of the reasons I am so critical and get into arguments with thecompany that cost my job. There is no justice in the labour rate – PNG has to change andincrease the both the urban and the rural minimum wages to reasonable rates which cansustain families to the next pay day in light of the present high cost of living and inflation.I have lots of complain from the employees about the pay but there is so much I can do. Therate is not enough to see them through to another pay week. But unless the labour rates areimproved we will still complain. If their case is taken up by union some of their conditionbe improved. But the sad reality is that SST discourages formation of union but theemployees have a right to form one. My honest opinion is that they have a legal right toform a union and affiliate with the PNG Trade Union Congress to give them a voice and anavenue to address their grievances. If the employee was at first members of union theywould not have been employed. That is not a company regulation but what the companydoes. You know they are not concerned about what social and economic benefit they cangive to the people but focuses primarily on its own production targets – to meet the supplyneeds of its clients in US and Thailand. People’s needs are totally ignored and still have theold colonial attitudes towards PNG. That’s a very poor attitude for a multinationalcorporation who seemingly said to have a high reputation but the opposite is truer.Do not believe the rumors that people pay some certain application fees get jobs at SST. Ifit happened it was not to my knowledge. I as Personnel Manager would not tolerate itbecause its illegal. So it has never happen.In terms of social and economic benefits, SST has brought false expectation to the peopleand the business community of Wewak. There is no real benefit to the people and has nocommunity obligation work. They are isolated if you will from the other businesscommunity. The business community here have big expectations so I was appointedSecretary to the ESP Chamber of Commerce but we have very poor participation. Thecompany never give me time to attend the chamber meetings or make any contribution. Ourbig name here is only by words and not deeds. I am ashamed to say that I represent an137