Rwandan aggression: workers placed on technical leave in Butembo

Butembo, May 2^nd , 2025 (ACP).- Workers from several companies have been put on technical leave because of insecurity and the occupation of certain entities in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a trade union source told us on Thursday on the occasion of International Labor Day. << The occupation of several entities and the insecurity has already had an impact on the work situation in our province, as some workers have already been put on technical leave. This is worsening the lifestyle of the worker, who can no longer live decently, and even today in Butembo, there are companies that want to reduce the number of their staff because of the war >>, said Muhindo Malikidogo, permanent secretary of the National Union of Congo Workers (UNTC), Butembo and Lubero grouping.  He took the opportunity to urge the government to restore peace to the region, so that May Day would have the same meaning as in the past. << We call on the government to focus on the security situation, which has already made working conditions very difficult in North Kivu, and at this very critical time, May Day seems to be losing its meaning because there are no indicators to show that work and workers are progressing normally. So the day has lost its meaning because of the living conditions we are currently experiencing >>, he lamented.  Mr Muhindo condemned the informal sector that seems to dominate in Butembo and Lubero, with the result that employers are not complying with social legislation, violating Article 119 of the Labor Code defining general working conditions. Even recruitment no longer meets the criteria, and employers have become capitalists to the detriment of their employees. The trade unionist recommended that the General Labour Inspectorate define the standards that can be used each time to regulate the employment sector, and enforce the relevant law, which defines the behaviour of two parties: the employer and the employee.