Workers Demand Fleet Renewal at STPU
On December 4 in Brazzaville, employees of the Public Urban Transport Company gathered in front of the depot to read a statement. Their central demand: a rapid upgrade of the company’s aging fleet of city buses.
Representatives argued that many buses purchased over a decade ago are now out of service due to a lack of spare parts, forcing commuters to turn to informal minibuses. “With a renewed fleet, revenue can increase and the company can recover,” stated a delegate.
Wage Arrears and Retirement Law 48-2024
The staff statement also insisted on the payment of at least five months of unpaid salaries, indicating that wage delays have plunged families into debt. Workers claim they maintain services out of goodwill even during fuel shortages but struggle to pay school fees and rent.
Wage arrears compromise safety. Mechanics, often paid daily allowances, hesitate to work overtime on faulty vehicles without guaranteed pay. Drivers state that parts bought on credit are harder to obtain as suppliers distrust a company perceived as lacking liquidity.
Beyond immediate wages, the statement cites Law 48-2024 of December 30, 2024, which raises the legal retirement age for private sector employees. Staff want STPU to align its human resource planning and pension calculations with the new law without penalizing workers nearing the previous thresholds.
Social Security, Health Coverage, Dismissal Rights
They insist that future pay stubs clearly reflect contributions transferred to the National Social Security Fund, claiming that many do not see the amounts deducted each month reflected in their CNSS accounts. Accurate records, they argue, will protect pensions once they leave active service.
Medical coverage is another sticking point. Company regulations provide for employer funding of work accidents and certain chronic illnesses, but workers report delays in reimbursements from clinics. They ask management to adopt a transparent health plan in line with the National Health Development Program.
For former employees dismissed between 2015 and 2018, unions demand the settlement of collective dismissal benefits. Some former ticket agents claim they are still waiting for their dismissal letters needed to access their savings. The CSTCC calls this a persistent liability preventing reconciliation and potential rehiring under future expansion.
Call for Parliamentary Oversight of Management
To clarify responsibilities, union leaders are calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the company’s governance since service resumed on August 11, 2025, following a restructuring phase. They believe lawmakers could audit budget allocations, procurement procedures, and payroll, then recommend administrative adjustments without paralyzing operations.
The motion for legislative oversight echoes hearings previously granted to other public entities. In those cases, committees compared management contracts to performance indicators. Workers argue a similar exercise at STPU would shed light on why spare parts inventories have dwindled while maintenance budgets were released each quarter.
Government Channels and Possible Timeline
Management has not publicly rejected the grievances. Contacted by phone, a senior official stated that the board was “exploring viable funding avenues” and noted that discussions were ongoing with the Ministry of Transport on a gradual fleet renewal relying on concessional credit lines.
The official added that delays in salary payments stem partly from the late disbursement of state subsidies for social fares. The Treasury’s settlement of STPU’s securities, planned for this fiscal year, could improve liquidity once completed, they argued, without giving a precise timeline.
Industry analysts observe that urban mobility demand in Brazzaville is rising faster than anticipated, straining a fleet initially configured for 2010 traffic levels. They warn that if buses remain out of service, citizens will increasingly migrate to informal motorcycle taxis, eroding fare revenue.
Labor experts stress that morale can be as critical as equipment. “When workers aren’t paid, breakdowns multiply because routine checks are ignored,” noted a teacher, adding that transparent payroll systems may cost less than emergency repairs.
Stakeholders therefore view the current impasse as a chance to readjust. A negotiated timeline that clears arrears, secures pension data, and sets benchmarks for new bus arrivals could, they believe, stabilize the company before regional transport integration projects.
Until then, STPU employees plan to maintain normal services, but union officials warn that patience has limits. If dialogue stalls, they might consider symbolic stoppages, while emphasizing that the goal remains a constructive partnership with authorities to restore reliable urban transport for all.