Juba Regency hotel staff say they were dismissed unfairly

The nine staff of Juba Regency Hotel whose contracts were terminated last week have complained of unfair treatment by their bosses.

 Acuil Alei Lual, a law student from the University of Juba who worked as receptionist blamed the hotel management for colluding with national security service (NSS) operatives to detain them after they demanded improved wages.

“The reason for terminating our contracts is not valid, we contend that redundancy is not the reason for terminating our contracts, our contracts were terminated because we threatened to strike if our salaries were not increased,” Lual told The Juba Echo in an interview in Juba on Sunday.

“One cannot talk of redundancy in a company while still recruiting more staff to do similar work done by the very people being retrenched,” he said.

William Koknyin, a student of medicine from Upper Nile University who worked as cleaner, said some of his colleagues refused to sign the termination letters. He disclosed that others were forced to sign the termination letters.

 “We wanted to be told the reason for the termination of our contracts, they have not followed due procedures. The procedures for terminating our contracts are unlawful and unfair,” Koknyin said.

Deng Deng, a student of education from the University of Juba who prior to his termination worked as supervisor with Juba Regency Hotel, called upon the government to intervene in the matter.

He said similar incidents are happening to nationals working in various foreign owned hotels in the country.

  “We urge the government to intervene and order Regency Hotel to reinstate us into our former positions on the same terms and conditions and in lieu of the above, compensate us our benefits and any other just and appropriate relief,” Deng said.

The Juba Regency Hotel management when contacted for comment said the nine affected individuals are a result of the ongoing downsizing of staff due to deteriorating economic crisis.

 The management said that prior to axing these staff it held consultations with the ministry of labor.

“We are not able to cater for the staff, we are making reduction of staff with request and approval of the labor office, we wanted to dismiss 13 but the labor ministry allowed maximum of 10 people at a time so we dismissed 9 employees,” the management told The Juba Echo on Tuesday.

“We have followed the procedures, we dismissed some before them and we will continue to dismiss many more if the (economic) situation continues like this, we are working and following the laws of South Sudan,” the management said.