Census in Maputo: KaMaxakeni census-takers threaten walk-out over pay

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Census in Maputo: KaMaxakeni census-takers threaten walk-out over pay

10:33 CAT | 04 Aug 2017

O País

Yesterday revealed a serious rift between census-takers in Maputo’s KaMaxakeni district and the National Statistics Institute (INE) over unpaid food and transportation subsidies. Protesters headed to the INE’s headquarters building to demand explanations from the institution’s president, Rosario Fernandes.

After hours without agreement, some census-takers, who have been at loggerheads with INE since Wednesday, were expressing indignation, while others simply left.

“It’s been over three hours and the president says the same thing, and it doesn’t satisfy our concerns. We’re working without a contract, without water and with little money for our meals. We require the allowance we have agreed upon. If we’re not given what we agreed upon, we will call on our colleagues to stop work. Why are they acting this way with us? We work late, we’re threatened and assaulted at night,” said Lizethe Araújo, one of the census takers, who later reported that “One colleague had her belongings stolen last night,” she said.

After long discussion, Fernandes acknowledged the legitimacy of the complaints presented and promised to take action.

“The claims they present are legitimate. We were in conversation and together we created a technical team, including representatives from the census-takers, to follow up on their concerns. The important thing is that they (the census takers) undertake to return to work tomorrow, and at the end of the day we will meet and analyse the decisions made,” Fernandes said.

Despite the INE president’s remarks, the enumerators said that they would quit if her promises were not fulfilled.

“We have not reached any consensus yet. The president said we should go back to work tomorrow, and the situation would be resolved. We work in inhumane conditions. We started working without a contract. What I’m asking is, how can we work all day, hungry and thirsty? Anyway, we agreed to return to work, and at 4:00 p.m. tomorrow we will have another meeting to sign the contracts and receive a part of our subsidies,” the group’s representative said.

Source: O País