The Ghana Mine Workers’ Union in a statement, has assured workers of Sunon Asogli that the Union will follow due process to restore their jobs that were unlawfully terminated back to them.
Abdul-Moomin Gbana, the General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union, commenting on the development, noted that the workers of Sunon Asogli have every right to join any union on their own, hence sacking them because they want to join a union is inappropriate.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that the workers get their jobs back. Because, I don’t think that they have committed a crime in exercising their right to join the union. I can assure you that we are very much committed. Unions exist to represent the interest of workers including their employment protection.
“Why would workers’ decision to join a union become a crime, why should expressing your fundamental right now become a crime? The impunity with which most of these multinationals will want us to believe or think that once they come here with investment, we must support the investment to grow but they will never respect the right of our people.”
Abdul-Moomin Gbana
Workers Must Be Protected
The General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union iterated that workers right must be protected by any means possible. He stressed on the fact that the Union will do everything within its power to help the workers.
“They should take assurance in the fact that rights are rights and everybody must enjoy them. Even though this may have happened, the same processes will be used to ensure that these matters are resolved and are resolved expeditiously. I do not envisage that these matters should travel but even if they travel, they should take solace in the fact that the mine workers union is resolute, it’s solid. We will ensure that justice is served to them.”
Abdul-Moomin Gbana
The Ghana Mine Workers’ Union of the Ghana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) also threatened to embark on a massive demonstration with the entire Trade Union Congress against Sunon Asogli Company Limited.
The union explained that it has since the last quarter of 2021 initiated the process of unionising the workers of Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited when over 60 employees applied to join the union, but so far the process has been fraught with wilful interferences, threats, intimidation.
“All have and continue to delay the process leaving in its wake, marginalised and intimidated workers who only have to ensure production for the capitalist gain.”
Abdul-Moomin Gbana
As a result, some workers of the Company have been sanctioned over moves to unionize. These workers were fired after they were charged by the company for ditching work to attend a union meeting and also staging a demonstration against the company.
According to the company, the workers embarked on an illegal demonstration and were unhappy with the attempts by the workers to join Ghana Mines Workers Union.
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