COCOBOD Not Transferring Staff For Not Joining Union’

By Bernice Bessey
The Chairman of the Supreme Council of Cocoa Industry Workers' Union, Alhaji Alhassan Iddris, has denied allegations that some workers at the Ghana Cocoa Board headquarters had been transferred to remote areas for refusing to join the cocoa sector workers' union.

According to Alhaji Iddris, the alleged report was nothing, but falsehood, and must not be taken serious.

He stressed that there has not been any instance that a worker was punished or intimated for not signing onto the union, saying: “Neither Dr. Stephen Opuni, nor my good self, has victimised any worker, or has caused the transfer of any worker who doesn't what to join the union, as being speculated by Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) and Industrial Commercial Workers Union (ICU).”

Alhaji Alhassan made this statement at a press conference at the COCOBOD head office in Accra last week.

He argued that the formation of the union was lawful, as the Constitution of Ghana allows freedom of association, so the ICU and GAWU have no business to contend against the creation of the Cocoa Industry Workers Union.

The Supreme Council Chairman added that the cocoa industry workers union had also satisfied ICU and GAWU constitutional requirements, which urged members to notify them within three to five months before they exit.

He indicated that the new union was using democratic and voluntary means to enroll membership, reiterating: “We are forming a sector union; Cocoa Research Institute was first to pull out from GAWU to form its own union. ICU and GAWU are complaining, because they will lose financial contributions from coca sector workers.

“It is a blatant lie that workers were transferred because they refused to sign onto the Cocoa Industry Workers Union. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD, Dr. Opuni, will not force us to form or not form a union.”

Alhaji Iddris further explained that if any worker was to be transferred to any area in the sector, it was because his or her services was needed there, but not as a form of punishment, adding that work transfers are part of occupation obligations.

So far about 2,000 employees have voluntarily signed unto the Cocoa Industry Workers Union, and it was expected that the Cocoa Research Institute Union would join with its 1,202 members.

It also expected that when the union comes into full operation, the leaders would seek better working conditions for members, which may consist of permanent staff, casual and contract workers.