Ghana Dock Labour Company workers demonstrate against Union

Tema, May 6, GNA - Workers of the Ghana Dock Labour Company in Tema, on Wednesday demonstrated

through some principal streets in Tema, to express their displeasure at the alleged illegal deduction of welfare monies

from their wages. The workers numbering more than 200, clad in red T-shirts carried placards amidst the singing of war songs. Some of the placards read: "Contract labour is not good at all," "Atta, open your eyes," "Workers need

welfare," "We are for peace, where is our welfare money?" and "Slavery at Ghana Dock Labour Company." Afterwards, the demonstrators boarded a vehicle at the forecourt of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly to

Accra, to present copies of their petition to the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the National Labour

Commission. Mr Christopher Vidzro, a spokesperson for the aggrieved workers, told the Ghana News Agency that about

4,000 of them are paid according to the number of times they work, since they are not salaried workers. Mr Vidzro said an unspecified amount of money was deducted from their wages by the Maritime Dock

Workers Union (MDU) into a welfare fund. He alleged that management of the company connived with the union and illegally deducted the welfare

money without consulting the workers or taking into account the provisions in the company's constitution. The Spokesperson said workers who complained about the act were victimised by management. Mr Vidzro said the workers are demanding that MDU account for its stewardship for the past eight years it has

been in existence.