By Bright Kofi Agamah.
The General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union, ICU-Ghana, Morgan Ayawine, has reiterated the need for trade union leaders and management, at workplaces, to always make conscious effort at sustaining good relationships, which is a healthy ingredient in harmonizing efforts for increased productivity.
Mr. Ayawine said it is in this regard that the ICU national leadership and its local executives at the workplaces, continue to collaborate positively with management to achieve good results through a sustained industrial harmony.
The ICU-General Secretary stated this at the inauguration of the newly elected Local Union executives of Ghana Cocoa Board, at COCOBOD Head Office in Accra.
The executives are Eric Ekow Turkson, as Chairman, Vice Chairperson, Jemimah Ankomah, Secretary- Saratu Mohammed, Assistant Secretary–Daniel Samari, 1st Trustee Richard Kumah, Nana Ampofo, 2nd Trustee-Nelson-Joy Terry, Executive Member-Gertrude Koranteng, Women Representative-Abigail Doe Mankralo and Youth Representative- Denis Sarpong
Mr. Ayawine was happy that positive management-union engagement at COCOBOD has seen tremendous improvement in cocoa beans production.
He remarked, “the essence of a trade union at the workplace is not only to represent the workers as their mouth piece and negotiate terms and conditions of service but more importantly to help sustain and strengthen the symbiotic relationship between employees and employers as social partners without which there could be no meaningful productive activity for the business to thrive.”
He added, “it is against this background that the ICU-Ghana and our members at COCOBOD are proud to be inextricably associated with the current exponential increase in the tonnage of cocoa beans production and purchase, even under COVID-19 conditions from a low of 700, 000 to an appreciable level of 1,040,000 tons.”
The ICU-Ghana General Secretary warned the new executives against acts that will undermine the collective effort of workers and management of COCOBOD to sustain production.
“You should endeavour to discharge your union responsibilities to the benefit of both the union and the Board. For the management, we would like to appeal that mutual respect and fairness devoid of discrimination should be the hallmark of the management in our relationship.”
It should be noted that capital and labour today are equal partners and they must therefore be harnessed and harmonized dispassionately for increased productivity to result in profitability for the good of the social partners, Mr. Ayawine stated.
The ICU General Secretary, said with the negative impact of COVID-19 on business and labour, it is incumbent on workers and management to stay safe and be healthy to be able to continue being productive, by strictly observing the safety protocols and restrictions to the letter, both in and out of the workplace.
The new chairman of the Local Union executives of Ghana Cocoa Board, Eric Ekow Turkson, said their focus is on a win-win situation to sustain the cocoa industry. Mr. Turkson said he was looking forward to an intensive collaboration with management of COCOBOD and efficient consultation and total participation in all issues and dealings as social partners and for collective realization of industrial harmony and enabling a continuous benefit for all.
He encouraged his fellow workers to work hard to sustain the cocoa industry.
Deputy Chief Executive of COCOBOD in-charge of Finance and Administration, Emmanuel Ray Ankrah, assured the new executives of management’s commitment to fairness, adding that they will not do anything against the interest of staff.
Present at the event were the Deputy ICU-Ghana General Secretary in charge of Operations, Emmanuel Benimah, Marku Vondee, the Chief Industrial Relations Officer, ICU-Ghana and other management staff of COCOBOD.