Strike begins as GCNET staff lament over non-payment exit packages

The Welfare Association Staff of the Ghana Community Network Limited (GCNET) has announced plans to undergo a number of industrial strikes against the management of GCNET.

This comes after some redundant staff of the company requested for payment of their exit packages following a court arbitration award.

In a statement issued by the Association, Welfare Chairman, Felix Agbodeka, indicated that the decision by the staff to undergo a sit-down strike is in accordance with section 159 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).

“The GCNET Staff Welfare Association has resolved to commence a series of industrial actions against GCNET Management. This is to press home our demands for the immediate payment of redundancy package to redundant staff in accordance with the Arbitration Award,” Agbodeka said.

“From Thursday 24th September 2020, and until further notice, workers of GCNET shall be on a lawful and legal sit-down strike in accordance with section 159 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651),” he added.

Following some lay-offs among the staff of GCNET, a three-member Arbitration Panel appointed by the National Labour Commission under Labour Act 651 and Regulation 17 of L.I. 1822, and the ADR Act 798 ordered GCNET to pay the redundant staff their exit packages as stated in the provisions of the Human Resource Policy Manual without any variation or adjustment.