Ghanaian workers in the petroleum sector will from Tuesday, November 18, begin a strike in solidarity with Ghanaian workers of MODEC who were dismissed on November 10, 2014.
The solidarity strike, backed by the Trades Union Congres (TUC), will involve workers of the Petroleum Tankers Union; the West African Gas Pipeline Company limited (WAPCo), Bulk Oil Storage & Transportation Co. Ltd. (BOST), Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) among others.
The strike, if effected could lead to fuel shortages and cripple the petroleum sector.
[contextly_sidebar id=”iFkZNHH9qelnRFNgri8eXQWrRWhPahgD”]About 12 Ghanaian workers at MODEC, private company working at Ghana’s FPSO vessel on the Jubilee oil field, on November 11, withdrew their services to demand the reinstatement of their colleagues that were sacked.
They were subsequently dismissed by MODEC after the workers refused to sign a bond to be of good behaviour.
The Deputy Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Yaw Baah who confirmed the latest development to Citi Business News said, “Our affiliates are saying that they are going to withdraw their services. A number of the locals are going to stop work.”
“… Remember they have more affiliates so if government doesn’t listen, MODEC doesn’t listen, those who matter don’t listen, what is going to happen is that, more and more of their members are going to join until the guys are reinstated,” he indicated.
Dr. Baah further explained that, “they think that the Minister of Employment, the Petroleum Commission, Tullow and all those guys… have not shown enough commitment” adding that “that is why we are targeting them.”
“We think Tullow should do better, the Petroleum Commission to do better, we expect the Minister of Employment, we have not heard from him, to do better, this is injustice,” he insisted.
Meanwhile, MODEC has dragged it`s striking employees to the National Labour Commission (NLC) to compel them to rescind their decision.
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By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana