Chinese Company in Tango With Workers

The 210 strong workforce of China Gansu Construction and Engineering Company Ltd are gearing up for a showdown with management over what they consider "Injustices and disrespect," by their employers.

Representatives of the company who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity due to fear of victimisation said they are ready to battle their management on a four count charge of: (1) Low wages (2) Inhuman treatment (3)

Poor conditions of service and (4) Terrorism. Apart from the four points of disagreement is a deep-seated fear by the workers over the real ownership of the company.

"We are at a loss at to how China State Construction suddenly metamorphosed to Gansu," a spokesman wondered.

The workers says they believe the company has been sold to new owners without informing them, hence the change of name.

Elaborating on the grievances against the company's management, the workers representatives sought to justify the deliberate low payment of wages with a communiqu? titled: Collective Agreement for Construction Industry. Review of wages/salaries for 2001.

In the agreement signed between the Association of Building and Civil Contractors of Ghana (ABCCA) and Construction and Building Materials Workers Union (C&BMWU) of TUC on 5-12-2001, of was decided that. (a) Wages are increased to new rates as attached for next year, effective 1st January, 2001. (b) Salaries are increased by 25% for companies, which increased by 20%- 1999, effecctive1st January, 2001.

According to a pay slip of October 2001 belonging to one of the employees, the new salary has not been effected ten months after the agreement has been signed.

"When we want to demonstrate for our demands, the MD uses the Head of the Airport Police station, Patrick Timbila, to terrorise us," the workers complained.

They further claim that the management is manipulating overtime payments, converting it to day off, something they don't only consider unacceptable but against the collective agreement which stipulates that overtime for Saturdays and Sundays should be "normal hourly rate".

A close study of the collective agreement reveals several flaws and some of the injustice the workers are complaining about, although it might not be the fault of Gansu but the TUC itself.

For example, long service award of five years carries a cash award of less then ?100,000 irrespective of position held. the severance pay is based on some archaic labour decree dating back to 1969.

A good portion of the agreement is no longer realistic or in tune with present times.

"Our local union is very corrupt so they no longer fight for us," they complained.

They have no company hospital and no workers compensation are paid in the event of injury.

When this report called at the head office to confront Mr. SUU, the Managing Director with the numerous allegations by the workers, the place looked calm.

However, at the various sites of construction, like Cocoa Processing Forestry at Tema and the University of Ghana Housing Project at Legon, the workers are chirping freely about the raw deal management is giving them.

On the part of Mr Suu, the Managing Director sees no substance in any of the allegations being levelled against the management of his company.

He explains that Gansu is no different from China construction, it is just that Gansu is now assuming its proper identity.

According to him, being a communist company, all of such construction companies first came under the umbrella of the state.

"It is the same management and the same shareholders," he said.

Mr. Suu who does not seem to articulate himself well n the English Language, said salary changes have been made in response to labour regulations, saying that it is only one or two workers whose salaries may not reflect the change due to human error.

He said policemen from the Airport came there only twice last year to explain things to the workers and not to intimidate them.

"With this new change of government I don't even see them again, he said.

He claims everything is well with the company. "If we are not doing well we can't maintain over 200 work force," Mr. Suu was confident.

The company currently has a full work load, especially in the real estate sector, but then trouble could erupt anytime from now, unless management faces up to some of the glaring realities confronting workers.