Union calls for reinstatement of workers

Accra, Sept. 26, GNA - The General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Union (GTPCWU) of the TUC on Wednesday called for the unconditional reinstatement of 127 employees of the former Airways Catering Limited (ACL).

A statement signed by Mr P.A. Amissah, Acting General Secretary, said the new owners of the company, Flight Services Limited (FSL), terminated the appointments of the workers in April against conditions of the sale of ACL.

It said ACL, which was wholly owed by government, was liquidated and handed over to FSL without due diligence.

"The official liquidators, that is PriceWaterhouseCoopers, failed to notify the mother union that represented labour within the organisation."

The statement said the union was not told about the liquidation of ACL adding that it was only at a meeting of its Standing Joint Negotiating Committee to review the collective bargaining agreement in July 2006 that they were informed that FSL had taken over ACL. It described this as "a clear violation of the Labour Act" and said meetings that were held with officials of the Ministry of Aviation showed that one of the conditions of the sale to FSL was that no worker's appointment would be terminated.