GAFCO Workers To Be Unionized

Tema, Aug 29, - Workers of the Ghana Agro-Food Company today confirmed that they want to be unionised under the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) of the TUC instead of forming a workers' association as suggested by the management. The workers said this when they were questioned by the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Austin Gamey, at a meeting at the factory. Only 10 workers supported the association idea. Mr Gamey had gone to meet the workers and management on the issue of unionisation which the management had kicked against and had rather started registering them to form an association. While the ICU had registered about 1,340 workers, the management had complained that those registered were not working at the factory. It is based on this that the Minister met the workers and the management to thrash out the issue. Mr Gamey, therefore, requested the chief labour officer to issue the workers with the necessary bargaining certificate so that they could go to the negotiation table. He explained that the union is not a monster; it is part and parcel of workers' rights and said no impediment should be put in their way, he said, adding that when problems arise are solved through dialogue with the local union.