Organized Labour has issued a two-week ultimatum demanding the reinstatement of three of their local union leaders whose appointments have allegedly been terminated by Sunon Asogli Ghana Limited.
According to Organized Labour, the termination of these leaders was a result of their decision to join the Ghana Mine Workers Union, which operates under the umbrella of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
Despite the efforts of the TUC, which has taken various measures to resolve the situation and secure the reinstatement of the workers, these attempts have so far been unsuccessful.
Following a closed-door meeting with the Minister of Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Dr. Yaw Baah, the Secretary General of the TUC, stated that Organized Labour is steadfast in its demands and will not relent in its pursuit of justice.
“We want to warn them that we are giving them the chance that Organized Labour is speaking and they better listen, and this message is going to the management of Sunon Asogli, and it is also going to the president of Ghana and his government and they better listen to Organized Labour otherwise, they know what will happen.”
They have set a deadline of June 26, 2023, for the company to address their concerns and reinstate the union leaders. Should their demands not be met, Organized Labour has pledged to take further action.
“Those who should listen, should listen and not only listen but hear us that we are giving them up two weeks, that is June 26 to get our three guys back to work and stop all that intimidation going on and allow the union to finish the unionization.”
The ultimatum comes amid growing tensions between Organized Labour and Sunon Asogli Ghana Limited. In recent months, there have been a number of strikes and protests by workers at the company, who are demanding better pay and working conditions.
The situation is being closely monitored by the government, which is keen to avoid a wider industrial dispute. However, it remains to be seen whether Sunon Asogli Ghana Limited will comply with the ultimatum issued by Organized Labour.
If the company does not reinstate the union leaders, it is likely that Organized Labour will take further action, which could lead to a protracted industrial dispute.
