Thousand of workers in Hawassa industrial park stopped their work this morning due to lack of response to their problems low salary, unsafe working environment and being exposed to sexual abuses and abduction.
The workers complained that what their wage is far below their expenses. In an interview with VoA, one of the workers said that she had been working in the park for the past two Years and her salary is 750 ETB per month, which can’t even cover her home rental. She added, “we were told that the pay would be 2000 ETB, but now it’s 750 for last two years.”
Belay Hale Michael, the Manager of Hawassa Industrial park, Investment Commission, on the other hand, said that there are more than 20 companies in the park and this claim is the most common and most of them were solved. He added, “ problems in 90 percent of companies were solved just three companies, which have their internal administrative issues, didn’t respond and caused today’s hit.” Furthermore, Mr. Belay said that a labor Union is established under the Investment commission to manage the issues.
Fitsum Ketema Manager of Awassa industrial park, Industrial development corporation accepted the fact there are safety issues in the park. He said “there is an abduction specifically during the night shift and we received a report that many had got robbed. We are working in cooperation with the police and the community to solve this issue.”
Industry parks were established with the aim of creating a job opportunity for youth community, making foreign currency and technology transfer. But many workers quitted their job within a short period of employment.
