VALCO workers embark on demo over retirees occupying top positions

Workers of the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO), have bemoaned the current management at the helm of affairs of the company. The workers claim, despite operating locally, most operations of the company are carried out outside the country in dollars and most managerial roles are occupied by retirees who do not have the interest of the company at heart. This, the workers say, is making their living conditions difficult, coupled with the current economic situation that has bedeviled the country and have thus embarked on a protest, today, Monday, 31 October 2022, to register their displeasure with the prevailing conditions of the company. The workers therefore want all retirees occupying various managerial positions to step down. The VALCO local Union Chairman, Edgar Mensah, who spoke to the media, explained the condition of the workers. “Somebody that you just picked from the university - all of us here, they picked us from the street, that does not mean we’ve not been to school. They did not come to the school to pick us. “But if they come to your school and pick you, they give you GHS115 a month, that is one part of your allowance. How much is the utility man’s base pay, just do the calculation, just do the calculation,” he said. He further explained that the retirees in management position are living comfortably at the expense of the poor workers. “The poor workers’ salary you turn a blind eye to it. When he comes to ask of his money, you say the plant will shut down you don’t have money but when it comes to your fuel which is one item on your allowance, for that one you can pay; car maintenance allowance and all that," he bemoaned. He called on the owners to address the situation and ensure a remedy is found. “Our agitation this morning is, the retirees who are managing this plant, we think they’ve gotten to their peak and they’re dropping, so we want the owners of this plant to know and then to do the right thing for all of us to maintain this plant the way Ghana wants it to be. “VALCO workers are not destructive they’re hardworking, they work 12 hours a day,” the local union chairman stated.

Workers of the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO), have bemoaned the current management at the helm of affairs of the company. The workers claim, despite operating locally, most operations of the company are carried out outside the country in dollars and most managerial roles are occupied by retirees who do not have the interest of the company at heart. This, the workers say, is making their living conditions difficult, coupled with the current economic situation that has bedeviled the country and have thus embarked on a protest, today, Monday, 31 October 2022, to register their displeasure with the prevailing conditions of the company. The workers therefore want all retirees occupying various managerial positions to step down. The VALCO local Union Chairman, Edgar Mensah, who spoke to the media, explained the condition of the workers. “Somebody that you just picked from the university - all of us here, they picked us from the street, that does not mean we’ve not been to school. They did not come to the school to pick us. “But if they come to your school and pick you, they give you GHS115 a month, that is one part of your allowance. How much is the utility man’s base pay, just do the calculation, just do the calculation,” he said. He further explained that the retirees in management position are living comfortably at the expense of the poor workers. “The poor workers’ salary you turn a blind eye to it. When he comes to ask of his money, you say the plant will shut down you don’t have money but when it comes to your fuel which is one item on your allowance, for that one you can pay; car maintenance allowance and all that," he bemoaned. He called on the owners to address the situation and ensure a remedy is found. “Our agitation this morning is, the retirees who are managing this plant, we think they’ve gotten to their peak and they’re dropping, so we want the owners of this plant to know and then to do the right thing for all of us to maintain this plant the way Ghana wants it to be. “VALCO workers are not destructive they’re hardworking, they work 12 hours a day,” the local union chairman stated.