We support the efforts by organised labour, comprising all the workers’ unions in the country, to get reinstated three workers of the Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited sacked for spearheading the formation of a workers’ union at the company.
We particularly support its latest ultimatum to the company to reinstate the union leaders by June 26, this year but disagree with a similar ultimatum to the government and that it risks industrial actions if it fails to do so.
Has the government been officially invited since February 2021 to intervene in the matter but has refused?
We believe in the total wellbeing and welfare of workers, whether in the public or private sector, because they all deserve the relevant rights.
But we must point it out to organised labour that it is always fair to lay blame where it is deserving to do so.
We have no qualms if the government is complicit in this matter, otherwise let us focus on the party or parties that must rightfully be taken to task and also appropriately sanctioned, if need be.
If all what we hear is truly the case, then the pressure must be on Sunon Asogli to respect the laws of this country and we would support an appeal, rather than an ultimatum, to the government to come in to demand justice for the workers.
It will be recalled that in February 2021, some 70 workers of the company
decided to join the Ghana Mines Workers Union (GMWU).
The Sunon Asogli workers therefore went through all the necessary legal processes to acquire a collective bargaining certificate, which was duly issued by the Chief Labour Officer based on the mandate given him by the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
However, the power company would not recognise the union and developments ensuing therefrom included its demand for the names of the workers making up the union as a condition to recognise it; and the dismissal of three union leaders.
The issue about the names, for instance, was dealt with by the National Labour Commission (NLC) and on two occasions, it directed and ruled that the list of the names of the workers was not relevant at that stage and that the certificate was properly and legally issued to GMWU so the company must enter into negotiations with the union.
This notwithstanding, the company and its lawyers were alleged to have disregarded the decisions of the NLC, to the extent that they would not even respond to any correspondence from GMWU.
It is very sad to hear the leadership of organised labour say their involvement in the matter followed the refusal of Sunon Asogli to re-appoint the union leaders despite extensive engagements with the GMWU and TUC, as well as the NLC.
Which level of impunity compares with this on the part of Sunon Asogli, given the allegation earlier that they were showing intransigence?
There is no dispute that the action of the company is in violation of the rights of workers to form and join a trade union of their choice, as guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and the Labour Act, 2003.
Therefore, Sunon Asogli Power Limited must be called to order or their continued intransigence must be sanctioned.
