By Dominic Hlodzi
Sunon Asogli Power Ghana says it is not against unionisation by its workers and that it is aware of the right of employees to join a union.
It said it is only concerned about the procedure and approach adopted by the Ghana Mine Workers’ Union (GMWU).
In a statement, the Company said it currently has two unions: one is enterprise-based with more than 60 percent majority in terms of membership, and GMWU, with minority membership which is less than 25 percent of its employees.
Sunon Asogli Power Ghana said that because it has two unions, the company cannot be tagged as anti-union.
It warned that the attempt to coerce the majority of employees to join GMWU through any means possible is not acceptable.
On the termination of the employment of three employees, the Company said that action had nothing to do with them joining the Union, adding that employment contract is not servitude and either party to the contract may terminate the contract at any material time in accordance with the law.
The company said it is disappointed in the Trades Union Congress, TUC, and the Secretary-General for not hearing the company’s side of the impasse before painting the company as anti-union in all pronouncements.
The company is also concerned about the manner in which the Collective Bargaining Certificate (CBC), was issued by the Labour Department to the union, saying it was improper as procedures were not followed. Sunon Asogli said from the onset that its position has been that it cannot enter into an agreement or negotiate with people the company does not know, and that when the Labour Law talks about ‘‘THE WORKER’’ it is referring to a particular individual.
The statement explained that as a multinational company, it is in its best interest to work and operate in a serene and lawful environment – an environment which would ensure the protection of its investment and provide the hard-working staff of the power plant the best of safety and security.