By Stephen G. Fellajuah
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia, October 12, 2026 — The Liberia Industrial Workers Union (LIWU) has challenged the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to cite the law supporting its reported position that ELWA Hospital employees transferred to the government payroll are no longer entitled to union representation.
LIWU Secretary-General Festus F. Johnson said the transfer of 304 hospital employees to the government’s centralized payroll should not automatically terminate existing labor agreements, accrued benefits or workers’ rights to collective representation.
Speaking Friday, October 9, at the first anniversary celebration of the ELWA Hospital Workers Union, LIWU Local 17, Johnson demanded legal clarification from the CSA and hospital management.
“If someone tells workers that they have lost a right, that person must be able to explain the legal basis for that position,” Johnson said.
He questioned whether a change in payroll arrangements could legally extinguish outstanding employment obligations, including severance entitlements, accrued benefits and agreements reached before the transition.
Johnson maintained that LIWU was not seeking confrontation but wanted transparency and constructive dialogue to protect the interests of affected employees.
He recalled the union’s previous interventions over wage concerns at ELWA Hospital, saying LIWU had advocated for salaries consistent with applicable minimum-wage requirements.
The government’s decision to place 304 ELWA Hospital employees on its centralized payroll has been welcomed by hospital management as a step toward improving employment stability and strengthening healthcare delivery.
However, LIWU insists that the transition should not automatically end its representation of affected workers or invalidate obligations established before the change.
Johnson called on the CSA and hospital management to explain the legal basis for their reported position and engage the union in resolving outstanding concerns.
Also speaking, ELWA Hospital Workers Union Chairman Boima D. Dougba reaffirmed the union’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights through peaceful engagement, collective bargaining and lawful dialogue.
Hospital Director James Freeman Garway congratulated the union on its first anniversary and urged employees transferred to the government payroll to remain professional, dedicated and committed to patient care.
The CSA’s direct response to LIWU’s concerns was not included in the information available for this report. -The New Dawn
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