The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ghana has announced that it is reviewing its internal mechanisms for serving notices under the Public Order Act to reinstate the three dismissed workers of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited.
According to Mr Joshua Ansah, the Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, this step was necessitated following a press conference on March 27 in which the Union challenged the abuse of workers' rights by the management of the company.
He stated that the Union had given the management an ultimatum of seven days, which ended on Monday, April 3, to reinstate the three dismissed junior executives who are employees of the company and also to stop all abusive activities against the employees.
“We are serving notices to the management of Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited, for them to actually listen and ensure that the three dismissed employees are reinstated to avert possible industrial actions from the whole workers of the country against the company,” he said.
The TUC has expressed concern over the inability of the management of the company to heed their ultimatum by reinstating the dismissed workers.
Mr Ansah stated that “management has not respected our period of precaution.” He also mentioned that they had copied their concerns to the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, who had assured them that he would take a keen interest in the matter and ensure that the issue is resolved amicably.
According to Mr Ansah, the TUC would not sit down and fold their arms while the management of the company abuses the fundamental human rights of workers. “The only crime for these three dismissed workers is that they have formed a union and they have been elected union leaders, which is unheard of,” he said.
Mr Ansah issued a warning to all employers in the country, especially Sunon Asogli Power Limited, that they better listen to their demand and reinstate the three dismissed workers or face the brunt of workers.
He stated “This fight is not going to end today, we are going to fight until our demand is met and our workers are reinstated. It's our right, and we think that workers' rights cannot be trampled upon by employers.”
It is worth noting that over 68 workers of the company joined the Ghana Mineworkers' Union in February 2021.
The Union and the workers had gone through the necessary legal processes to acquire a Collective Bargaining Certificate that empowered the Union to represent and negotiate with the company on behalf of the workers.
However, this led to a misunderstanding that ended at the National Labour Commission, and the Commission, on two occasions, directed and ruled that the names of the workers did not arise at this stage and that the certificate was properly and legally acquired, so the company should comply and enter negotiations with the Union.