Agence Haitïenne de Presse

Workers at the national telephone company Téléco said Monday that they will not accept payment of one year's compensation if they are to be fired from their jobs under the privatization plan announced by President René Préval.

At the public utility's headquarters in Pont Morin, the employees who are united in their views continued their campaign seeking the dismissal of the director general Michel Présumé, whom they accuse of being opposed to negotiations.

They said they are not opposed to privatization, nor are they able to prevent it. "However it is out of the question that we be sent away empty-handed", they said.

That would be an unjust act by the president, if all employees were to receive an indemnification of no more than one year's work in the event they are dismissed", said some of the workers, recalling that many of them have been working at the company for dozens of years.

Several employees also denounced what they called a policy of sabotage of the public institutions in order to justify their privatization and sale at absurdly low prices.

" We are waiting to see who will take control", they said.