BUSHROD ISLAND, Liberia — A growing labor dispute at the Freeport of Monrovia has prompted swift intervention from the National Port Authority (NPA) and the Ministry of Labour after APM Terminals Liberia raised objections to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed between stevedores and their employers.
The standoff stems from a two-year CBA signed on April 25, 2025, between the Liberia Shipping and Stevedoring Association (SSAL) and the United Seamen, Ports and General Workers Union of Liberia (USPOGUL), aimed at improving working conditions for port laborers. But APM Terminals, the country’s main port operator, claims it was left out of the process and is raising red flags over what it says could disrupt operations and strain the national supply chain.
At the center of the controversy is the reduction of work hours from 12 to 10, expanded wage demands, and limits on the types of tasks stevedores are permitted to perform. The agreement also mandates double pay for holiday work and grants exclusive authority to USPOGUL over the recruitment and rotation of stevedores—a move intended to prevent fatigue-related accidents but which APM says could jeopardize productivity.
“What we see is that a CBA was signed without our consent, which disrupts productivity at the port,” said Emeka Ogbaje, Deputy Managing Director and CFO of APM Terminals Liberia, during a two-day meeting convened May 15–16 by the NPA and Labour Ministry. “Deviating from the two ships in 12 hours model affects the entire supply chain and economic flow.”
The emergency meeting, held at NPA headquarters on Bushrod Island, brought together representatives from APM Terminals, USPOGUL, SSAL, and top government officials in an effort to prevent port operations from grinding to a halt.
Ogbaje said APM Terminals was caught off guard by the final version of the CBA and criticized its lack of clarity on overtime provisions and wage obligations. He called for consensus on a revised timeline and compensation framework that would maintain efficient port throughput.
But USPOGUL Secretary-General Elijah D. Nyenkan countered that APM Terminals had been part of CBA discussions since 2024 and had even agreed to retroactive payments. “I’m surprised they’re now saying they are unaware of the CBA we’ve been discussing for months,” Nyenkan said. “These are people who carry 25kg bags of rice on their backs for hours. This is about human dignity and fairness.”
SSAL Vice President Daniel Tolbert added that the CBA had long been under negotiation and was designed to replace an expired agreement. “This agreement is applicable to all ports across Liberia. So far, no one else has raised concerns,” he said.
Labour Minister Cllr. Cooper Kruah weighed in by referencing Liberia’s Decent Work Act, which stipulates an eight-hour workday and classifies anything beyond that as overtime. “This is not just about rest; it’s about workers’ legal rights,” he said, urging parties to include legal advisers and the NPA in future negotiations to avoid similar disputes.
To ease tensions, parties reached a temporary resolution during the May 16 closing session. APM Terminals agreed to retroactively pay stevedoring agencies $3 per worker for the period January through May 2025, based on the new wage scale. The payment is expected within a week.
Other immediate actions included increasing worker food allowances as stated in the CBA and implementing a revised shift schedule that ends work at 6:00 p.m. instead of the previous 7:15 p.m. That change took effect Friday night.
The Stevedores Association requested a two-week period to review and potentially amend the agreement. A revised, signed version reflecting all parties’ concerns is expected by early June.
NPA Managing Director Sekou M. Dukuly, who co-chaired the mediation, commended all parties for preventing the dispute from escalating. “This is a sign that dialogue works,” Dukuly said. “We remain committed to acting as a neutral party in ensuring labor harmony at our nation’s ports.”
USPOGUL’s Nyenkan echoed the sentiment, thanking the government for its rapid intervention. “We’re pleased with the outcome,” he said. “Director Dukuly and Minister Kruah showed great leadership and understanding of our challenges.”
As Liberia’s busiest gateway for imports and exports, the Freeport of Monrovia plays a critical role in national commerce. The government’s timely intervention may have averted a full-scale work stoppage, though stakeholders now face a narrow window to settle their differences and keep goods flowing uninterrupted.
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