Tullow accused of coercing MODEC not to reinstate dismissed workers

Tullow Ghana has been accused by the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union of coercing MODEC against reinstating the 28 dismissed workers of the offshore vessel FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

The workers were dismissed for participating in a sit down strike on the offshore vessel last month. They were demanding better conditions of service in the face of huge pay disparity between them and expatriate workers offering the same services.

Speaking to Starr News, the deputy General Secretary of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union, Francis Sallah said information available to them indicates that Tullow Ghana has threatened to abrogate a contract with MODEC if they reinstate the workers.

“Sources close to us indicate that Tullow Ghana is the one pushing MODEC not to accept the workers because if they do, they will abrogate the contract they have with MODEC,” Sallah alleged.

Meanwhile, MODEC has filed a complaint at the National Labour Commission as it defies a directive by the Petroleum Commission to reinstate the dismissed workers.

Workers in the petroleum and transport sectors have threatened to embark on a strike if MODEC does not reinstate the workers.

But MODEC has gone to the NLC after a meeting with the Petroleum Commission ended inconclusively.

Sallah said MODEC has made it clear that they would not reinstate the dismissed workers.