Tema-Ghana, July 4, CDA Consult – The Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called for a nationwide strike slated for July 10th, but the Sunon Asogli Staff Association (SASA) has declared that they would not participate as the intended industrial action is counterproductive.
“We won’t join the TUC strike because it’s against the interests of all Ghanaian employees, particularly those employed at Sunon Asogli Power Plant Ghana Limited. To resolve any disagreement regarding the three fired coworkers, we believe in discussion.
“The TUC and Ghana Mine Workers Union’s stance is somewhat aggravating attempts to reach a peaceful resolution to the conflict. How can you be threatening the top management while pleading with them to reinstate our fired coworkers? This was said in an interview in Tema by Mr. Benard Ababio, the SASA General Secretary.
The Sunon Asogli Staff Association, which is made up of more than 70 percent of the staff, sympathizes with our friends and coworkers who were dismissed, but we think that the hostile stance taken by the TUC and Ghana Mine Workers Union is doing more harm than good to the friendly relationship that the three employees had with management.
In order to ensure that work gets done as stakeholders try to resolve the protracted dispute, Mr. Ababio reaffirmed the plea for calm among the rank and file.
While the legal issue between management and TUC is still pending at the Court, Mr. Albert Kofi Nutakor, the chairman of SASA, voiced worry that TUC and its allies are preparing to go on a statewide strike.
Sunon Asogli Power Ghana Limited Company, the first Independent Power Producer in Ghana and the largest Chinese investment in the nation has observed and adhere to Ghanaian regulations in all of its dealings and operations, according to Mr. Nutakor.
“As a multinational, the staff and management have worked in the best interest of all parties, working and operating in a serene and lawful environment—an environment that has ensured the protection of investment and, above all, provided the hard-working staff of the power plant with the best of safety and security,” Mr. Nutakor said.
The SASA Chairman remarked that prior to the invasion of the Ghana Mine Workers Union; workers, and management had cooperated on the basis of friendship and the preservation of a setting for work and living that permitted win-win outcomes.
“While we all understand and share the worry of our coworkers who were fired, we believe that to fix the problems, we must negotiate rather than engage in combat.
“Sunon Asogli staff are not at war with management or any other body,” Mr. Nutakor stated.
Workers will continue to make sure that we address this bottleneck, promote understanding and dialogue, and collaborate to address every operational, welfare, and industrial dispute.
“Workers are not fighting against each other. We are working for the best interests of all. Our services are essential within the national power distribution network.
“While acknowledging and respecting employees’ rights to organize and speak out for their interests, the SASA Chairman stated that “we believe it is crucial to strike a balance that does not compromise the cordial work environment we have cultivated at Simon Asogli Power Ghana Limited over the years.”
According to Mr. Nutakor, SASA will never engage in any industrial action that will jeopardize the interests of Ghana, management, and employees. Instead, SASA will always seek to negotiate to benefit employees, management, and the country.
