Deputy Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, has noted that the organized labour was not interested in the monetary compensation offered by employers of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana.
He stated that their fight was for the principle of rights of workers and will not relent until the right judgement was made.
Mr Ansah stressed that labour issues were not taken seriously in Ghana emphasising that the trend must be reversed.
Speaking to the media, the Deputy Secretary General of TUC said, “Things are not going the way we want it and I don’t know why in our country things are going this way. Labour issues are not taken seriously, and I think if this is the way this country is going to be run then workers are finished… Because NLC gives ruling and the employers refuse to oblige.”
“Today, they have come with a different story, they are now saying that the reinstatement is a no-go area, and they want to compensate the workers. And we think that that was not why this case was brought here. The principle of rights of workers is what we are fighting for. We are not after money, so we will fight this until the right judgement is made,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Ofosu Asamoah has set August 16, 2023, for the cases of both parties to be opened and heard for final judgement.
It would be recalled that TUC, in solidarity with the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union, made known its intention to embark on a demonstration exercise over what it calls an abuse of workers’ rights by Sunon Asogli Power Ghana.
The demonstration follows the expiry of an ultimatum given by various unions for the company to reinstate contract workers whose appointments were terminated for allegedly joining the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union.
The company, however, refuted the claims, explaining that the termination of the employment contract between three former employees of the company and the company had nothing to do with their joining the union.
The company said it believes that an employment contract is not servitude and either party to the contract may terminate the contract at any material time, in accordance with the provisions of Act 651 and the contract.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
