Aug 15, 2017
A dispute between the management of Ashanti Foam Factory Limited (Ashfoam) in Accra and its workers over the withdrawal of long service award has been referred to the National Labour Commission for resolution.
The aggrieved workers, who laid down their tools last Thursday following an announcement of the cancellation of the long service award policy, maintain that the management’s action is unfair.
They are demanding a reinstatement of the policy, but management insists it cannot afford it.
During a demonstration by the workers yesterday, the management informed them that the matter has been referred to the Commission for an amicable resolution.
Some of the workers told ADR Daily that the package has been withdrawn despite their dedicated service to the company.
They accused the management of withdrawing the long service award without any consultation with them.
According to them, the management on Thursday issued a memo to remind them of the cancellation of the benefit when there had not been any previous notice on that decision.
Mr. Michael Amoh, one of the workers who has been with the company for nine years, explained that the package for 10 year service was worth about ten times a worker’s monthly salary.
“We are worried because management did not consult us before taking the decision,” he said.
He reiterated that the workers want the company to pay them for the number of years they have worked before cancelling the policy.
Mr. Arthur, another worker said “we want management sit down with us so we agree on this long service benefit. They can’t cancel it just like that,” he said.
However, Mr. Joe Ampem Darko Antwi, Marketing and Communications Manager of the firm told ADR Daily that although the policy was instituted many years ago, it had become unsustainable.
Due to its unsustainability, he explained that management in 2014, informed the staff through a memo of the cancellation of the policy.
He said years after the cancellation, staff were still agitated for the package, resulting in the release of another memo to remind them of the decision taken in 2014.
He said management requested a meeting with section heads and other staff representatives but the workers failed to cooperate with management, leaving the management with no option than to refer the matter to the Labour Commission.
By Nii Adotey/adrdaily.com
