Nestle Boss In Hot Waters

The management of the beverage manufacturers, Nestle Ghana Limited, which is under fire for treating its workers like slaves, denying them salary increment among other unfair trade practices, while they feed fat, is struggling to calm down rising agitation in the company.

While, Nestle Ghana Limited, attack The Herald for creating a voice for its workers, it, has also confirmed reports that for eight months now, the company has been locked up in discussions over increasing the salaries of its workers.

An internal communication circulated to the workers claims that “Management began Wage Opener negotiations with the ICU and UNICOF unions in February this year. Agreement was reached with UNICOF in May and their members’ salaries were paid in that same month. Negotiations with the ICU is still on-going”.

The internal circular, a copy of which is in the grips of The Herald, was in specific response to the paper’s publications on the ill-treatment of Nestle workers, especially its factory hands in Tema.

The document signed by the Country Manager of Nestle, Moataz El Hout sought to downplay the anger of the workers and rather accused The Herald of creating a platform for the staff to threaten “violence against some of our employees and their families, spewing obscenity and, preaching racism”.

Mr. Moataz El Hout described the concerns and plights of the workers as published by The Herald, as a “falsehood” and cautioned that “the company takes exception to the said (The Herald) newspaper allowing some unknown individuals to use its medium to incite violence, hatred and using obscene language against fellow employees”.

The one-page circular, directed “all employees to go by their normal duties as usual” adding, “We all know what Nestlé stands for and we are proud of that”.

Management, it said, “as always, will continue to engage the union till an agreement is reached in the Wage Opener negotiations in the spirit of respect and civility as required by Nestlé principles and values”.

Management, it said “has protested to the state authorities responsible for media communication for the abusive language being allowed on the website”. While The Editor of The Herald, has also been written to, to remove all offensive comments from its website.

“The company reserves the right to resort to any legal means to safeguard our employees and protect our reputation,” the circular said.

Meanwhile, the Country Manager of Nestle continue to come under fire for non-increment of salaries and allowances for staff of the Tema factory line of the company since February, this year and the workers are fuming with rage over the unnecessary delays.

The Herald is informed that workers’ morale is at its lowest ebb, accounting for a huge number of staff not showing up at this year’s Milo Marathon, held last Friday.

The workers, The Herald learnt, unusually refused to operate the Tema factory on the holiday, although they were entitled to a double pay had they worked on that day.

This paper has information that a vast majority of the sharp Human Resource of the company have tendered in their resignation over the delays by management to have remunerations increased.

There are claims that some workers, doing the bidding of the expatriate workers, have had their salaries and allowances paid them, but staff at Tema is still receiving paltry sums as salaries.

Nestle Ghana Limited produces brands like Milo, Nido, Ideal Milk, Nescafe and Maggi-seasoning cube among others. Stay tuned