Railway workers get final order to resume work

Accra, March 13, GNA - The National Labour Commission (NLC) on Thursday gave a "final order" to workers of the Ghana Railway Company to call off their strike and resume work immediately and unconditionally. The order was contained in a letter written to the Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the Railway Workers' Union in Takoradi. The letter signed by Mr Edward Briku-Boadu, Executive Secretary of NLC, said the striking workers had up to the close of work on Friday, March 14, to resume duty unconditionally.

It was copied to the Ministers of Harbours and Railways, Manpower Development, Youth and Employment, Managing Director of Ghana Railway Company, General Secretary, Ghana Railway Workers' Union, General Secretary Railway Enginemen Workers Union and the Legal Department of the NLC.

It read: In pursuance of the National Labour Commission's directives dated Monday, 10th March, 2008 to the striking workers of Ghana Railway Company Limited for the workers to call off their strike action and resume work immediately, we serve this as a Final Order on the workers led by Mr J.K. T. Dadzie, the IMC Chairman of Railway Workers' Union, the IMC members and all the workers of Ghana Railway Company Ltd. to call off the strike and return to work immediately.

"In making this Final Order, the Commission is guided by Section 133 of the Labour Act 2003, Act 651 which states "(1) where the Commission finds that a person had engaged in an unfair practice it may, if it considers fit, make an order forbidding the person to engage or continue to engage in such activities as it may specify in the order.

"You have up to the close of work, Friday, 14th March, 2008 to resume duty unconditionally.

"Failure to comply with this directive will compel the Commission to seek enforcement under Section 172 of Act 651.

"By copy of this Order, the employer is to advise the Commission before the close of work on Friday, 14th March if the workers have complied with this Final Order."

Last Monday, the NLC directed workers of the Ghana Railways Company to immediately call off their strike action and return to work unconditionally.

It also asked the management of the Company to immediately pay all the outstanding salaries due to the workers.

The NLC order followed separate meetings held with the Management and the workers to resolve the impasse that had resulted in the strike action.

The workers, who called the strike to back their demands for the payment of outstanding salaries, are also calling for a 150 per cent salary increase and the removal of their management.

The NLC said the workers should constitute the appropriate leadership in accordance with their own constitution to prepare themselves to negotiate and also open negotiations with their management.

The statement dismissed the workers' request for the removal of the management, saying the appointment, promotion and removal of management personnel were the preserve of the employer and/or the owner and therefore the issue had been referred to the sector Minister of Harbours and Railways.

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the sector Minister, also called on the striking workers to end their strike action saying their petitions, grievances and concerns would be addressed by the Ministry. He said the continued strike action by the workers was having a "significant toll" on the modest finances of the company.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said the intervention of the NLC underscored the importance that stakeholders attached to the grievances of the striking workers.

He also said the salary arrears of the workers had been lodged in the account of the Ghana Railway Company Limited and that the workers ought to return to work in order to access the money.

However, in reaction, more than 2,000 striking workers on Wednesday embarked on a peaceful demonstration through principal streets in Sekondi to demand the dismissal of their Managing Director, Mr. Rufus Quaye, from office.

The demonstrators also demanded the payment of their salary arrears covering four months, as well as pay rise and a new collective bargaining agreement.

The workers, clad in red bands on their arm, hand and heads, danced and chanted war songs during the match.

They presented a petition to Mr Anthony Amoah, Western Regional Minister at his office in Sekondi.

They said they were marching to let the public know the truth about the entire railway crisis and the poor management style of Mr Quaye and his team.

They carried placards some of which read, "Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is a failure to GRC," "Quaye must go," "We have suffered enough" and "Pay us our salaries now".

The workers have been on strike for almost a month, despite a directive by the NLC asking them to resume work.