Sunon Asogli Power Faces Union Dispute with Organised Labour giving them June 26 Deadline
Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana) Limited, an independent power company in Ghana, is continues to be embroiled in a union dispute as Organized Labour led by the Secretary – General of the Trade Union Congress TUC issues an ultimatum for the reinstatement of three dismissed union leaders.
In a press briefing Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General of TUC said they were giving the Togbe Afede led company the last chance to make things right with the June 26 deadline, failure to comply could result in industrial actions, warned trade unions boss.
“The standoff between Sunon Asogli Power and Organized Labour remains unresolved, and if the demands for reinstatement are not met by the stipulated deadline, further actions, including potential industrial actions, may follow, ” Dr Baah the TUC Secretary – General said.
He explained that, unions were critical stakeholders in the development of harmonious working atmosphere in all organisations and pledged the commitment of Organised Labour in the protection of the rights of workers to join or form unions.
He also reiterated that, threats to unions in the private sector equally threatens unionisation in the public sector, hence the coming together of all labour groups to nip the canker in the bud.
Representatives from various trade unions, including the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ghana Mine Workers’ Union (GMWU), and National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), among others, gathered in Accra to address the situation.
Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General of TUC, stressed the need for urgent government intervention to resolve the matter or the government will also have itself to blame.
NorvanReports understands that, Organized Labour plans to escalate the issue by reporting it to the International Labour Conference on June 9, signalling their determination to seek a reasonable conclusion.
Dr. Baah who addressed the press pointed out that the company’s actions violated workers’ rights to form and join a trade union, as guaranteed by the Ghanaian Constitution and the Labor Act.
The dismissal of the union leaders on the basis of their decision to join a union poses a significant threat to Ghanaian workers’ constitutional rights.
Trade union leaders rallied together, highlighting the crucial role unions play in fostering harmonious work environments and protecting workers’ rights. They emphasized that any attempts to intimidate unions, whether in the private or public sector, would not be tolerated.
President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, condemned the company’s actions and urged the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations to intervene promptly. The Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Dr. Isaac Bampoe Addo, called on Togbe Afede, Co-Founder of Sunon Asogli Power (Ghana), to take a keen interest in the matter and reinstate the dismissed workers to prevent further actions by Organized Labour.
With the deadline given, stakeholders eagerly await the response from both the management of Sunon Asogli Power and the government, recognizing the potential impact on labor relations and the wider business environment in the country in Organised Labour carries through their threat should they fail to act.
