TV3 dismissals were discriminatory – Ex-staff

A dismissed staff of TV3 has accused management of the station of discrimination in the mass dismissal exercise that occurred Tuesday.

According to the worker, who wants to remain anonymous, some staff of the station who took part in the conditions of service protest, are still at work while others have been sent home.

He told Morning Starr host Francis Abban Wednesday that the claim by their management that they embarked on an industrial action is false.

“The HR was spotted in red as well, but he is still at post. We have been discriminated against. Some at the HR department were wearing red. TV3 has cameras everywhere, they should prove that we did make noise and destroyed things. The shirts we wore were given to us by the company,” he said.

He noted that their concerns are primarily with their end of service benefit which they believe the company has not taken seriously.

“Our concern has been with the end of service benefit. We agreed that 90% of our monies will be transferred into the Provident Fund. Unfortunately, management decided not to work with the MOU we signed. We asked that we (all workers) be on Provident Fund instead of being on different products,” he noted.

Meanwhile, a management member of the station Henry Nii Dortey told the Morning Starr the workers breached the terms of engagement at the station.

“There is no work place where you do not see some of these things happening. We got to work on Tuesday and we saw red flags hoisted at some vantage points on the compound. On Wednesday, most of the workers wore red shirts to work and we did not understand. The notion that people have been dismissed for wearing red shirt is erroneous. Besides, hoisting red flags on our transmission mast is a very dangerous thing to do. There are rules and laws that guide every organisation”.

A letter from management of the station announcing the dismissal of the workers Tuesday said “wearing red shirts on Wednesday 22nd February, 2017, tying doors of offices with red fabric, writing of graffiti on the premises threatening management and hoisting of a red flag on the campany’s transmission on Wednesday 22 February 2017 without authority from management.

“Management wishes to bring to your attention that these acts that you participated in constituted industrial action which is a form of illegal strike and was aimed at intimidating and coercing management.

“This conduct amounts to unfair labour practice, management considers your action as participating in one form of illegal strike and also amounts to gross misconduct aimed at disrupting the business of the company and bringing the name of the company into disrepute.

“Based on the above violations management has decided to summarily dismiss you from the service with immediate effect.”