Don't Repeat Mistakes Of Ex-Minister - GTMC Workers Tell New Minister

A group of workers from the Ghana Textiles Manufacturing Company (GTMC) have appealed to the in-coming Minister of Employment and Social Welfare to ensure that Labour laws are effectively implemented so that the constitutional rights of workers are not violated as was the case of the NDC Government.

Speaking to the Chronicle, the spokesman John Akakpo, who led the group to the Chronicle office stated that on June 13, 1997, the then deputy Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Austin Gamey, contrary to established procedures for resolving inter-union conflicts sided with the ICU against TGLEU and influenced the workers' choice.

He stated that similarly, the then Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, also on November 2, 1998 directed the management of GTMC to suspend negotiations of collective agreement with GLEU against the Tema High Court ruling. The ex-minister on Feb 1, 2000 appealed against the judgment in the case involving ICU and TGLEU and prevented IGLEU from negotiating with GTMC management.

Mr. Akapko produced a letter signed by then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Obed Asamoah, dated on Feb. 15 1999 part of which read "we recommend that you advise GTMC to obey the ruling of the Tema High Court because you may be cited for contempt of Court if you do not withdraw your directive suspending the collective bargaining."

According to Mr. Akakpo ICU has sponsored some workers to harass and beat others who refuse to join ICU, saying "this development frightened most of the workers who have been compelled to either follow the group or abandon their jobs."

He said the activities of the group supported by the Tema District Council of Labour led to the closure of the factory on November 28 last year when the group locked up the management over a negotiable move which has put their jobs on line.