Crown Cans workers demonstrate

Tema, Feb. 15, GNA - Workers of Crown Cans Ghana Limited, manufacturers of metal packaging for the food industry, early Wednesday morning demonstrated in front of the company to register their protest against "unfair management practices."

The workers wore red armbands, drummed and sang and barricaded the main entrance to the company's premises, thus locking out management staff. They accused the management of failing to recognize them as union members, resorting to arbitrarily dismissals and suspension of union executives as well as the failure of the Labour Department to issue them with their bargaining certificate.

Mr Foster Awune, the union secretary, told newsmen that the workers joined the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) in August 2006. He said ever since they declared their intention to join the union, management had either intimidated or victimized them.

Mr Awune said some union executives were either dismissed, suspended or their appointments terminated without any reason. Madam Gifty Asare's appointment was first terminated and eventually dismissed and this was followed by the suspension of six of the union executives.

"Our petition to the Labour Department for the issuance of Collective Bargaining Certificate has not yielded any positive results."

"I wonder why the management, especially the Managing Director, Madam Jacquiline Papapietno, is preventing us from enjoying our constitutional rights to form a union."

In reaction to the workers' action Mr Morgan Ayawine, Principal Industrial Relations Officer, expressed regret that after going through the laid down procedure to form the union the Labour Department has still not issued them with their bargaining certificate.

He appealed to the Commission to urge management to reinstate the suspended staff because the action was contrary to the labour law. Mr Ayawine described the workers' demonstration as "self protection" and in the right direction because management is frustrating them.