The ongoing strike at Rusal-Friguia took on a new dimension on Monday as widows of former factory workers joined demonstrations in Fria, demanding payment of 16 months of settlements owed to them.
Led by their representative, Hawa Camara, the women marched alongside striking employees, voicing frustration over unpaid compensation tied to their late husbands’ employment.
“We fought here and the issue of our late husbands’ pensions was settled. We also fought for these payments. We wrote to all the relevant institutions, and they came to pay us 20 months out of 36. Now they refuse to pay the rest,” said Camara, president of the widowed women of Rusal-Friguia.
Camara accused a local labor official of misappropriating the funds. “This deception is the labor inspector, he took our money and went to build in Conakry,” she alleged.
The widows’ intervention adds another layer to the high-profile industrial dispute, which has seen workers demand improved conditions and fairer treatment at the Russian-owned alumina plant. Their grievances highlight not only the plight of current employees but also questions about the treatment of families of former workers after their deaths.
Neither Rusal-Friguia’s management nor government representatives have commented publicly on the widows’ claims. The labor inspector named by Camara has also not responded to requests for comment.
The Rusal-Friguia strike, which has already drawn widespread local attention, now threatens to escalate further as additional voices join the calls for justice and accountability. For many in Fria, the protests have become emblematic of broader frustrations over corporate responsibility and government oversight in Guinea’s mining sector.
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