GRIDCo staff temporarily suspend planned strike to assist with elections-related emergencies

Striking staff of the Ghana Grid Company Ltd (GRIDCo) have rescinded a decision on December 4 to withdraw emergency services and standby duties.

In a press release dated December 5, the striking workers of the power transmitter said they will avail themselves to all emergencies that may occur before, during, and after the December 7 elections.

The release, jointly signed by Chairman of GRIDCo Divisional Union, Francis Adjartey, and National Chairman of the Senior Staff Association, Raphael T. K. Kornor, said: “The leadership of the staff groups having considered the December 7, 2020, National Elections of Ghana and also as good patriotic citizens, have in consultation with key stakeholders decided that all staff should avail themselves to all emergencies and standby arrangements to attend to any form of system fault that may occur before, during and after the elections.”

The aggrieved GRIDCo workers had said last week that they will not attend to all emergencies including transformer failure, system control among others that will occur.

According to the workers’ union of GRIDCo, management and the board have failed to provide information on the 2020 wage opener negotiations.

They hoisted red banners at their various substation installations as a way to express their displeasure and forewarn management of the impending strike.

Some of the aggrieved workers also contend that a new Director of Finance upon assumption of office has cancelled some allowances they were enjoying and slashed others over financial difficulties.

However, in the December 5 release, the aggrieved staff explained that even though they remain unhappy with how they have been treated by the board and management of the company, they have the interest of the country at heart.

“Even though we are not happy with the treatment meted out to us, the leadership would like to appeal to All Staff to have mother Ghana at heart for us to have a very peaceful and successful election. Let us remain patriotic, as we have always been,” the release urged.