General News of Thursday, 6 August 2009

Source: GNA

Striking Mine Workers to resume work

Accra, Aug. 6, GNA - Workers of AngloGold Ashanti who embarked on industrial action to press for better conditions of service, have been requested to resume work in order to speed up negotiations on the issue.

A joint statement signed by Mr Prince Ankrah, General Secretary of the Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU), and Mr Keith Faulkner, Vice-President of AngloGold Ashanti, said the resumption was agreed upon at a joint meeting of the two parties and the National Labour Commission on Wednesday.

It said at the end of the meeting, both parties agreed to resume negotiations with immediate effect.

"Both parties have also agreed that the current industrial action, including the wearing of red bands, work stoppages, go slows, etc, be stopped with immediate effect, whiles the discussions resume", it said.

It added that the Company and the Union wish to inform all employees that both parties are committed to completing the negotiations as soon as possible and concluding a deal which is mutually acceptable.

The bone of contention of the strike was about salary disparities between Ghanaian workers and their expatriate counterparts even though they all do the same or similar jobs.