Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited workers on sit-down strike

Workers of Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited (PSGL), a gold mining company in the Western Region, have embarked on a sit-down strike. The workers are protesting the alleged refusal by the Managing Director (MD) of the company to sign his portion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to pave way for its implementation.

According to the workers, the MoU was drafted after a negotiation which started from February and ended in April this year, on the workers’ end-of-service benefits (ESB), salary increment and arrears among others.

The workers revealed that during the negotiation, it was agreed that the content of the MoU would be implemented in May this year.

“However, we are in July and what is in the MoU have not been implemented because the MD has refused to sign his portion of the agreement.

“The first person to sign is the MD, then a representative of the national workers’ union before the local union and the board could sign,” the workers disclosed.

Confirming the story in an interview with DAILY GUIDE, the Chairman of the Local Workers’ Union, Michael Awotwe, said he could not fathom why the MD has allegedly refused to sign the MoU.

“It was agreed that the workers’ benefits including salary arrears and the ESB will be paid from May this year to those who are due. So we do not understand the attitude of our MD,” he stated.

The Secretary of the Local Union, Daniel Cudjoe, corroborated the story and added that the workers’ June salary has not been paid.

“Our salaries are normally paid from the 21st to 27th or latest the end of the month. We are in July but our June salaries have not been paid,” he lamented.

He told DAILY GUIDE that the workers will not rescind their decision until the company starts implementing what is contained in the MoU.

PRO Reacts
Reacting to the issues, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the company, Ebenezer Essien, admitted that the workers’ salaries for the month of June have not been paid.

He explained that even though the Payment Vouchers (PVs) have been prepared for payment, those to sign the documents were affected by the flood situation in Accra last Monday, so they could not go to office to sign.

“So I am assuring the workers that this week everything will go through and the PVs will be signed in Accra and we will be paid. I am part of the workers,” he added.

On the issue of the MoU, the PRO noted that the negotiation started before he assumed office. He said it was not true that the MD has refused to sign the document.

He disclosed that the salary adjustment has been implemented and that the workers’ salary has been increased by 11 per cent.

He, however, noted that there were certain issues in the MoU, including the end of service benefits which were negotiated before the current MD and the Board of Directors assumed office, adding, “So it's like a legacy something.”

“I know the Board will meet this week to discuss those issues critically to give timelines for the payments to be effected. So it is not the decision of the MD alone. The salary increment has been done and the rest will follow,” he pointed out.

-DGN online