Accra (Greater Accra) – Workers of Ghana Telecom on Friday warned management to speed up negotiations on their collective bargaining agreement else they would advise themselves on their next line of action on Monday.
This followed management’s failure to honour the workers’ ultimatum of a final decision by 12 noon on Friday.
The workers, who were waving red flags, amidst singing and dancing in their premises,
were disappointed when they were told that management and the joint negotiating team were still “engrossed in negotiations”.
A workers’ representative told the Ghana News Agency that the vision of the company to become a model and caring telecommunications company in the sub-region would remain a mere slogan if workers were not given their due.
Earlier at a rally, the workers passed a six-point resolution rejecting outright the three proposals made by management for the consideration of the workers.
These are a 20 per cent increase in salary and negotiation for certain allowances; a 25 per cent increase in salary with no increase in allowances; and a 30 per cent increase in salary and a cut in some allowances.
The workers said the proposals had not met their demand of 20 per cent of the company’s profit going into salaries and that acceptance of any of the proposals would make them worse off.
They have also asked the management and the negotiating team to sit through negotiations during the weekend to quickly resolve the issues at stake.
Mr Emmanuel Darkwah, branch Union Chairman, said all sections had been advised to work pending the outcome of negotiations.
He said those dancing on the compound were workers on night duty or field men who had decided to wait for the outcome of the negotiations, adding that he had asked them not to tamper with any equipment.
He said the workers were now fed up with the apathy of the management and would do everything in their power to obtain the proposals under their collective bargaining agreement. Meanwhile, all regional offices are on standby waiting for the outcome of the negotiations.
