Over 3000 workers of Goldfields Ghana threaten strike action

Over 3000 employees of Goldfields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa and Damang mines, have both threatened to go on strike by Wednesday April 3 if the management of the company does not put an end to racial discrimination and cheating and improve welfare.

The workers, who wore red arm bands and sang war songs, demonstrated Tuesday morning to register their displeasure at conditions in the mines.  They said they could no longer tolerate the inhuman attitude of the management and that they had lived with it for more than 20 years.

The chairman for the Professional Managerial Staff Union who is also the First National Vice Chairperson of the Ghana Mines Workers Union, Mr. Abdul Moomin Gbana, told the GNA that Ghanaian employees who had worked between 15 to 20 years are housed in a dilapidated mine village at Aboso.

He said the foreigners are living in mansions, adding that the mine’s club, gymnasium and restaurants are restricted to only the foreigners.

Mr. Gbana said the Ghana Mine Workers Union has an agreement with Goldfields Ghana to share 1.25 percent of profit after taxation and royalties at the end of every financial year with Ghanaian employees.

“In 2013, Goldfields deliberately changed the formula for calculation, thus ripping employees of the money that is rightfully theirs under the arrogant pretext of a hostile fiscal regime imposed by government in 2012,” he said.

He said the Vice President in-charge of the Goldfields Ghana operation, Mr. Alfred Baku, who was a mentor to several young mining professionals was dismissed a week ago by the management over flimsy reason bothering on his condition of service.

The Chairman later presented a petition on behalf of the workers to the general manager of the Tarkwa mine, Mr. Micheile Van De Merwe.

The workers have however given the management of the company 24 hours ultimatum to respond to the issues they have raised else they will embark on an indefinite strike action.

Source: GNA