Social Employers’ vision must concern all workers - ICU

The General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Mr Solomon Kotei says the vision of the employer must remain notable to all workers, especially when they want to remain in employment.

He said: “The mission, vision and value of the employer should be bound in the hearts of every worker to ensure that their employer succeeds and stay in business to enable them also benefit in return.”

Speaking at the two-day ICU Greater Accra Regional Conference held in Accra on Friday, Mr Kotei said since the dynamics of labour had changed and was affecting both employers and employees, it behoves on the latter to be seriously involved in the business of their employers.

He said the ICU sees the link between the employer/employee so critical that it had chosen the theme: “The Vision of the Employer, Workers Concern” for the upcoming 10th quadrennial delegates’ conference to be held in Kumasi in August.

Mr Kotei, however, urged employers not to set over-ambitious targets for workers due to the competition being faced by the free market.

The regional conference which was attended by members of the Greater Accra ICU served as a platform to elect new seven-member executive council for the Region who were also sworn-in to take office for the next four years, as well as helped take stock of activities for the past years.

The elected officers were Mr Ephraim Agidi, a worker at Bank of Ghana as the Regional Chairman, Ms Diana Bosuh of New Times Corporation as the Vice-Chairperson, Mr Thomas Atiah, as regional Officer and Mr Samuel Dzikunu of Holiday Inn Hotel as Regional Trustee.

The rest were Mr Paul Charwey of Cocobod as Regional Executive Member, Ms Belinda Cochrane of Dannex Limited as the Regional Women’s President and Ms Anita Nyarko of New Times Corporation as Regional Youth President of ICU.

Mr Kotei advised the incoming executives to work hard towards the uplifting of the ICU and its entire membership within the Greater Accra Region, which has the largest membership.

He said the year under review was so hectic and challenging for the union with some of it members being sacked by their employers while others were asked to leave the ICU, “but I’m happy to inform you that Cocoa Workers Union will be inaugurated next week”.

He explained that in the new quadrennial year, the ICU would work towards uniting with the Ghana Trade Union Congress by amending its Constitution, among other activities and programmes to be undertaken to improve the lot of membership.

Mr Thomas Atiah, the Accra Regional officer of the ICU said the conference enabled the Regional ICU to reposition itself in the operations and activities as a trade union.

He said there were still some critical issues with Act 651 of the labour law concerning notice of termination, fixed contract syndrome and outsourcing phenomenon affecting membership and those should be looked at and discussed at the upcoming quadrennial conference.

The new Chairman, Mr Agidi assured the membership of the team’s dedication and devotion towards the work ahead.