MDU Seeking Discipline And Order At The PSC Tema Shipyard

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE TEMA DISTRICT COUNCIL OF THE MARITIME AND DOCKWORKERS’ UNION (MDU) AT ITS GENERAL MEETING HELD AT THE HSWU HOSPITALITY CENTRE, TEMA ON THURSDAY, 14TH SEPTEMBER, 2017 ON THE ASSAULTS, INTIMIDATIONS AND THREATS OF MDU MEMBERS OF PSC TEMA SHIPYARD BY MEMBERS OF THE PORTS SEAMEN MARITIME AND DOCKERS UNION (PSMDU).

At a General Meeting of the representatives of Local Unions in the maritime industry in Tema who are members of the Tema District Council of the Maritime and Dockworkers’ Union on 14thSeptember, 2017, the persistent threats, intimidations and assaults of our members who are workers of the PSC Tema Shipyard, a resolution was unanimously adopted after extensive discussion of the matter.

We express deep concern that the threats, intimidations and assaults of our members at PSC Tema Shipyard by the members of PSMDU are creating unsafe working environment where our members leave in constant fear.

We wish to recall that on 18th November, 2016, Brother Faruk Abdul Razak and Brother Abubakar Salifu were violently hauled out of the PSC Tema Shipyard by leaders and members of PSMDU simply because they had openly declared that they are members of MDU. Sadly, no disciplinary action has been taken by the management of PSC Tema Shipyard against the perpetrators of this shameful action. There had been occasions where cases of threats and intimidations of MDU members by PSMDU members have been reported to the management of PSC Tema Shipyard, but the management of the company did not take any steps to investigate such serious infractions of company rules for appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken against the offending workers.

We wish to express our strong disappointment that the assault of Brother Patrick Attikey, the Acting MDU Local Union Chairman of PSC Tema Shipyard by the leaders and members of the PSMDU Local Union of PSC Tema Shipyard on 13th September, 2017, without any provocation constitute another example of the breakdown of discipline in the PSC Tema Shipyard and that the growing indiscipline among the members of the PSMDU is nurtured by the tacit support of the management of the company for the violent actions of the members of PSMDU.

We condemn in the strongest of terms, the assault of Brother Patrick Attikey by PSMDU members in the full glare of GPHA security and the police on the premises of Tema Shipyard and all other acts of threats and intimidations of MDU members by the members of the PSMDU.

We express solidarity with our brothers and sisters of MDU in the PSC Tema Shipyard who have become the subject of constant attacks by the PSMDU which since its formation has been employing violence as a tool for trade union work.

We further express support for our National Leadership and the National Secretariat of the MDU for acting to protect our union’s properties and urge them to make every effort to protect our members in the PSC Tema Shipyard.

Considering that the management of PSC Tema Shipyard have become actors in the trade union rivalry in the company and actively fanning the conflict to the detriment of productivity and safe working environment, we resolve as follows;

1. That the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) should as a matter of urgency relieve Captain
2. Francis K. B. Micah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of PSC Tema Shipyard and Mr Samuel A. N. Adjar , the Admin. & Estate Officer of PSC Tema Shipyard of their positions and appoint people who would be able to restore unity, discipline and trust among the employees to achieve high labour productivity.
3. That the case of assault of Brother Patrick Attikey, the acting Chairman of the MDU Local Union of PSC Tema Shipyard by some leaders and members of PSMDU which has been officially reported to the management of the company must be thoroughly investigated and the offenders punished in accordance with the rules of the company and the laws of Ghana.

The Maritime and Dockworkers’ Union believe in the rule of law and has used legal means to seek redress for our grievances, but that should not be an encouragement for PSMDU that does not believe in law and order to make our members victims of violence.

We call on all workers and well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn the violent actions of PSMDU members against their colleague workers who are members of MDU and the inability of the management of PSC Tema Shipyard to protect all workers in the company.