Italian construction firm, Trasacco Estates Development Company Limited has justified the decision to lay off some of their workers.
More than 100 contract workers of the company on Wednesday, protested against the firm which builds Accra’s most luxurious homes.
[contextly_sidebar id=”x69JgImLNth17qwLxwGNFx7Ln60du126″]The demonstration was against the company’s decision to pay them only 25 percent of their salaries after sacking them two months ago without pay.
But in an interview with Citi News, Trasacco’s Director of Finance and Administration, Deepak Kumar Das insisted that asking staff to go home is standard practice within the construction industry.
“Temporary workers were asked to go on vacation for two months. This is purely due to market conditions, economic conditions and scaling down our operations which is very prominent in any construction industry. It is not new, it happens in prime or major construction companies. If you don’t have revenue you don’t expect that workers come to work and get paid.”
We have been diligent in our dealings
Management of the company has absolved itself from any wrongdoing.
Deepak Kumar further mentioned that the aggrieved workers know they will be paid what is due them.
“Our position was that, salaries are paid on attendance and on deliverables. So, we thought that while you are at home, we pay you a percentage of your salary.”
“We are surprised about this event. We actually told them to be at home for two months. There were concerns on how we were going to compensate them. After negotiation, we agreed that the employees will get 25 percent of their basic salary in both October and November. This has been processed and they know about it that it will be paid in the last week of this month, and this has been amicably concluded”, he noted.
Trasacco workers demonstrate, demand full payment of compensation
The demonstrators alleged that the company, sacked them verbally, some two months ago, without giving them their retrenchment packages.
The affected staff said they endured harsh working conditions over the years while working with Trasacco.
According to some of them, they had worked as contract workers for eight years without their full salaries, contrary to a stated probation period of 6 months.
They therefore massed up at the company’s headquarters to demand their retrenchment benefits.
Our dismissal is baseless
One of the affected workers who narrated his ordeal to Citi News said the decision to lay them off has no basis.
“There is no confusion between us and the company but they told us to go for no reason. If they have sacked us, then they should give us our benefits as stipulated by law. Today, the company is now telling us that they never knew they had casual workers.”
“I have worked here for 13 years. I am paid GHc132 instead of GHc250.We have not committed any crime. They just sacked us without giving us any compensation. They should just pay us so we go, he stressed.”
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By: Caleb Kudah & Nii Larte Lartey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
