Kumasi: Metro Mass staff resume sit-down strike over unpaid salaries
Workers of the Metro Mass Transit Company Limited in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region are embarking on another sit-down strike to demand unpaid salaries from their management.
The workers after calling off the action following a meeting with some management members say their demands are yet to be met.
The drivers have abandoned buses that were supposed to commute passengers to destinations outside Kumasi and the Ashanti Region.
Local chapter Chairman for the Junior Staff Union of the Company, John Osei who spoke to journalists said, they will only resume their operations if the monies are paid them.
“The managers promised to pay the two months’ salary and the back pay but as we speak, we have only received a month’s salary. The workers have asked me to stay away from this issue because if they are not paid, they will not work. As we speak, I have a loan I am servicing at the bank, so if only a month’s salary is paid into the account, all the money will be deducted. So this is one of the many reasons why the workers are not happy.”
Workers of Metro Mass Transit Limited have in the last few months embarked on various protests to impress upon their employers to pay them their salaries that are in arrears.
In most instances, the protests are called off after negotiations and assurances that they will soon be paid.
Last week, the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union of TUC (Ghana) directed the workers to call off their strike after a successful meeting they had with the leadership of the company where they were given assurances that the striking workers will be paid.
The National Secretariat of the union in its directive said it was convinced that the salaries in arrears would be paid by the government after meeting with management.
The mother union of Metro Mass Transit Limited, the General Transport Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union of TUC Ghana has subsequently threatened to take legal action against the government to demand salaries owed its members.
According to the union, the government has refused to heed to its calls days after employees of Metro Mass Transit Limited embarked on a sit-down strike but called it off.
The General Secretary of the union, Fuseini Iddrisu said they are exploring legal options available to ensure that the government is made to pay the amount.
He told Citi News that staff of Metro Mass Transit will soon lay down their tools to further press home their demand for the unpaid salaries after the agreed grace-period expired.
“We are a noble union; we know the labour laws of this country. The laws of labour in this country give room for action that will be taken that can become legal actions. Definitely we will go through the process and make sure that we use legal means to address our issues the workers are threatening to lay down their tools because yesterday was the end of the 5-day period,” Fuseini Iddrisu said.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com
