Alport workers protest, give 28‑day ultimatum over transfer terms

By Alieu Jallow

Staff members at Alport Banjul Limited protested at the port, issuing a 28-day ultimatum for the full implementation of agreed terms following their transfer from the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA) under a recent concession.

The workers say the transfer was made on the basis that their existing terms and conditions of service would be preserved, but allege that Alport has failed to honour key commitments regarding staff welfare, representation, and administrative transparency. They warned that, if their demands are not met within 28 days, they will launch a sit‑down strike.

What the workers want

Protesters say written assurances that senior HR roles — including Head of Human Resources and Deputy CEO — would be filled by qualified Gambians with substantive decision‑making powers have not been honoured. They also list a string of grievances since Alport took over salary administration, including:

• Inconsistent salary payments and unclear rules on salary stoppages for sick staff.
• No 2026 budget or finalised human resources policies and service rules.
• An embargo on staff loans and benefits, and a lack of promotions or succession planning for Gambian employees.
• Failure to implement the State‑Owned Enterprise (SOE) salary structure promised by GPA.
• Deductions for staff pursuing studies and other unresolved administrative gaps.

The group is demanding full disclosure of all transfer agreements and either the immediate return of HR functions and salary payments to GPA or a reversal of the transfer.

Industrial action and work limits

As a show of seriousness, the employees have forfeited overtime pay and will restrict their hours to the statutory 48 hours per week under the Labour Act 2023. They say they will continue to follow operational instructions from Alport only while the dispute remains unresolved.

Background and next steps

The staff say the transfer was completed before all necessary procedures were finalised, leaving unresolved contractual and administrative issues. They have asked for concrete action rather than further written assurances and urged management to implement the agreed terms to avoid disruption to port operations.