The Ministry of Labor has ruled that employees of SEGAL Private Security Firm have the right to unionize under Liberian law, following months of tension between the company and the United Workers Union of Liberia (UWUL).
The decision came after several hearings and investigations into complaints of alleged harassment and anti-union practices by SEGAL management.
In a final ruling signed by Labor Minister Cllr. Cooper W. Kruah, Sr., the Ministry affirmed that “the workers at SEGAL, like all other private sector workers in Liberia, can unionize and must therefore be allowed to unionize.” The ruling upholds national and international labor standards protecting freedom of association and collective bargaining.
The dispute dates back to April 2025, when UWUL won Ministry-supervised worker representation elections among SEGAL employees assigned to ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) concession areas in Nimba and Grand Bassa Counties. The Ministry subsequently certified UWUL as the sole bargaining agent for SEGAL workers on April 15, 2025.
Despite this certification, UWUL accused SEGAL management of refusing to recognize the union’s authority and of “consistently and vehemently resisting the establishment of the union structure.” The Ministry’s investigation confirmed reports of management interference and alleged harassment of workers who participated in the election process.
In a letter to the Labor Ministry, UWUL listed eight employees it said were dismissed “because they were accused of leading their colleagues to join the union.” The union described SEGAL’s actions as “a deliberate attempt to undermine the decision of the workers and obstruct the implementation of their freely expressed will.”
The Ministry cited Article 17 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which guarantees all citizens the right to peaceful assembly and association, including the formation of trade unions. “People can gather together to discuss matters of public concern and advocate for their interests,” the ruling emphasized.
The decision also referenced International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, both ratified by Liberia in 1962, which safeguard workers’ rights to freely organize and bargain collectively.
“Liberia, as an ILO founding member, has ratified both conventions,” the ruling stated, underscoring that these are “fundamental human rights standards for workers.”
SEGAL’s legal counsel, Atty. McCarthy Karnger, argued that private security workers should be exempt from union activities, citing Section 41.4 of the Decent Work Act, which restricts strikes among essential service personnel. The company maintained that any industrial action could endanger lives or property under its protection.
However, UWUL countered that while private security officers may be restricted from strike actions due to the nature of their duties, they “still retain full rights to unionize and bargain collectively.” The union referenced previous collective bargaining agreements with other security firms, including LEC, China Union, and LPRC, which contain similar strike restrictions but fully recognize union membership rights.
After hearing both sides, Assistant Minister for Labor and Hearing Officer Hon. Stanley D. Barh, Sr. ruled that SEGAL workers “can and should be allowed to be unionized but are barred from organizing, planning, or engaging in any strike actions whatsoever in the workplace.”
The Ministry further advised both SEGAL management and UWUL leadership “to collaborate and ensure the recognition of unionization of SEGAL workers” while maintaining the continuity of essential security operations. The ruling encouraged dialogue and cooperation to resolve lingering tensions.
Minister Kruah warned that continued resistance by SEGAL “could provoke industrial actions in solidarity with all unionized workers of AML and SEGAL,” adding that such defiance “would set a dangerous precedent in the labor sector if left unaddressed.”
With this ruling, the Ministry has directed SEGAL to recognize UWUL as the certified bargaining representative for its employees and to cease any interference with union activities, reaffirming Liberia’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights under the Decent Work Act and ILO conventions.
