Gov`t must listen to the cry of wvlc workers

The ex workers of the Western Veneer and Lumber Company (WVLC), until recently one of the leading state owned timber processing companies in the country have for some time now been agitating for the payment of their 'ex gratia' awards, after the government decided to divert the management of the company into private hands, but without any success.

They have taken their grievances to the National Labour Commission, with the latter ruling in their favour, but the government, which is acting through the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) would not listen.

The Chronicle finds this stance of the government as rather unfortunate, because the workers are legitimately entitled to what they are demanding. Before any state company is divested into private hands, severance packages for the workers are factored into the sale. The Chronicle believes that this is what happened in the WVLC case, so we are at a loss as to why government is dragging her feet in paying the workers.

'Ex gratia' became a topical issue in this country sometime ago when politicians decided to award themselves huge sums of money after public service. The argument was that civil servants work for several years but go home with a peanut. The public pressure about the 'ex Gratia' issue was so severe that President Mills had to intervene by calling for a review of the whole package.

As we write this piece, our information is that the review process is over and that parliamentarians have been paid their entitlements. Unfortunately, when it comes to payment of similar packages to other workers, it becomes a problem.

The Chronicle does not think this is the way to build a nation and we call on the sector Minister, Hon. Collins Dauda and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor to ensure that payments that are due the workers are paid to them.

When politicians have been paid what is due them, we do not see the reason why the ordinary worker must be denied the same privilege, because what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. Whatever means the government has to use to get these ex workers paid must be done before they die.