Sunon Asogli: Socialist Movement of Ghana declares support for Organized Labour’s General Strike action
The Socialist Movement of Ghana has announced its unwavering support for the workers of the country following the notice of a General Strike declared by Organized Labour. This decisive action is a response to the unjust dismissal of worker leaders by Sunon Asogli Thermal Power Ltd, a foreign investor operating in Ghana’s power sector.
The crux of the matter is straightforward. Sunon Asogli has persistently refused to acknowledge the inherent rights of its Ghanaian workforce to unionize and engage in collective negotiations regarding their working conditions. This denial encompasses their natural, constitutional, statutory, and international law rights. In a blatant display of disregard for Ghanaian labor laws and international regulations, the company wrongfully terminated the Chair, Secretary, and Assistant Secretary of the Sunon Asogli Branch of Mine Workers Union.
The National Labour Commission, the governmental body responsible for overseeing such matters, has unequivocally ruled that Sunon Asogli is in breach of Ghanaian and international law. It has further demanded the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed workers. Despite the Commission’s ruling, Sunon Asogli has obstinately ignored their obligations, compelling Organized Labour to resort to legal action. Regrettably, the State has failed to safeguard the rights of its citizens.
In light of these circumstances, Organized Labour is taking a stand to protect the fundamental rights of workers. In doing so, they are proudly upholding the principles enshrined in Ghana’s constitution, the 2003 Labour Act, and the country’s international obligations under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize, as well as ILO Convention 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining.
Working people from all walks of life, be they street sweepers or medical officers, can only safeguard their interests and the interests of society as a whole against the concentrated economic power wielded by capitalist enterprises like Sunon Asogli if they are allowed to organize and act collectively. Only through the strength of their numbers can workers exert meaningful pressure in economic negotiations with employers, both at the individual workplace level and on a broader national economic scale. Collective action empowers workers to ensure that resources are allocated to meet the needs of the working population, their families, and communities, rather than solely serving the profit-oriented goals of capital.
Sunon Asogli’s assault on its workers is not only an attack on their well-being but a direct affront by foreign capital to the ability of all workers worldwide to protect their rights to fair wages, decent and safe working conditions, job security, and stress-free retirement. This attack seeks to heighten exploitation and increase profitability for investors in all situations. Therefore, workers globally must respond resolutely to such provocations.
The context in which Sunon Asogli’s actions have transpired is undeniably clear. Over the past four decades, real incomes and social security have continuously eroded. Casualization of employment has become increasingly prevalent across various sectors. Many areas of work have been reduced to precarious “gig” arrangements, where individuals, such as Uber drivers, delivery riders, and software technicians, mistakenly perceive themselves as independent contractors rather than employees with legitimate rights to safe and decent working conditions, rest, and job security. Capital, with the complicity of successive governments, has gradually pushed Ghanaian workers to the brink of near-slave conditions.
It is within this context that Organized Labour, after two years of demonstrating tremendous flexibility and willingness to find common ground with Sunon Asogli, has drawn a line in the sand and unequivocally stated, “No further!” Organized Labour’s stance must be seen as acting on behalf of society as a whole and deserves the support of all Ghanaians who yearn for prosperity and justice in our nation.
The Socialist Movement of Ghana has therefore declared its resolute solidarity with the impending nationwide general strike, set to commence on July 10.
“We call upon others, especially non-unionized workers and various social movements such as the National Union of Ghanaian Students (NUGS) and its component associations, to join forces, raise their voices, and exert pressure on Sunon Asogli to do what is right. It is time to strengthen the collective rights of the Ghanaian people and ensure a just and equitable future for all,” it noted in a statement issued on Friday, July 7, 2023.
