Workers from the African Pneumatic Company (Sap Olympic), laid off in 2005, held a press conference this Sunday, December 3, 2023, at the Bobo-Dioulasso labor exchange. Objective, to call on the MPSR2 Transition authorities to get involved so that justice is done to them.
One hundred and one people in total, these former Sap Olympic workers claim to have been unfairly dismissed in 2005, without any support measures. They are going to go to court. The problem is that the court decision in their favor is slow to be executed. “This is why we organized this press conference to launch a cri de coeur to the power of the MPSR2, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, to help us,” explained Adama Savadogo, spokesperson for the ex-workers. Depending on who of the 101 people fired, 14 died. Supported by their wives and children, they demand compensation for their rights from their ex-employer. “We have a lot of worries so much so that widows and out-of-school children are among us. We also have disabled patients who managed to be present in the room,” continues Mr. Savadogo, his face full of sadness. To better explain the situation, the fifty-year-old takes us back to 2005. “After our unfair dismissal, we filed a complaint at the time with the Bobo-Dioulasso labor inspectorate, which did not have a favorable outcome. At the request of the employer, the labor inspector transferred our file to the courts. This is how the file was submitted to the Bobo-Dioulasso labor court in November 2007. he related. Still according to Mr. Savadogo, “after two postponements of the judgment, the trial ended up being held and the courts ruled in our favour. But the company appealed the decision. There were at least six referrals before the case went to trial. Following the deliberation, 36 people were rejected and therefore received absolutely nothing in compensation. As for the other people, they were allocated paltry sums ranging from 100 thousand FCFA for some to 400 thousand FCFA for others.” «The courts informed us that if we were not satisfied, we could appeal to the Court of Cassation. So we appealed. The judgment was scheduled for October 20, 2016. At this judgment, the court mentioned that the deadline would be exceeded by two months. After several opinions, the file was finally maintained. On November 23, 2016, against all expectations, we were informed that the file was inadmissible for non-compliance with article 78 of the Code of Civil Procedure.», he regrets. Since then, it is the cross and the banner for these ex-SAP workers who also specify having knocked on the doors of the ASCE-LC and contacted the HCRUN without follow-up. “Until we speak to you, we do not know where the file is located and how it will be managed,” insists Adama Savadogo. All eyes are now on MPSR2 for a happy ending.
Ousmane TRAORE
