Soap factory workers demonstrate against poor conditions
Workers of Ameen Sangari, a soap and oil manufacturing industry based in Cape Coast on Wednesday demonstrated against working conditions in the factory
The about 500 workers who took part in demonstration cited low and non-payment of salaries, no annual bonuses as some of the bad working conditions.
They wore red and bands chanted war songs as they converged in front of the company which was locked up. There was however security officers to keep peace and order.
Some aggrieved workers the GNA spoke to expressed concern about the delay in payment of their salaries, which they said had brought hardships to them and their families for the past five years, hence their action.
The workers expressed their displeasure about the manner in which management had been handling affairs of the company which had had a toll on the work force.
They said the spoke-persons for the workers had not been able to negotiate on their behalf due to fear of losing their jobs; as a result it was difficult for their voices to be heard at meetings with management.
Mr Kwabena Mensah, a plant operator, who had worked with the company for the past 15 years said that his salary of of GH¢150.00 had not been increased for all the years he had been working, adding that, he had neither received monthly or annual bonuses.
According to him, the highest paid worker of the company earns GH¢160.00 which he described as ‘peanut’ which could not take care of his family.
Another worker who had worked with the company for the past eight years, also expressed concern about the company’s failure to pay annual bonuses to them, stressing that they were not only interested in their monthly salaries, but that incentives such as bonuses could boost their working capabilities.
Mr Enoch Adu-Marfo, a plant operator at the Soap Department also expressed worry about the fact that the Member of Parliament of Cape Coast North Constituency, Ebo Barton Oduro had not been able to help them after several calls on him.
He alleged that eight workers who initiated the demonstration had been sacked and asked that management reinstate them, adding that, none of the other workers would report to work until their request was met.
The Regional Officer of the Company in an interview with GNA disclosed that, management was doing everything possible to give workers a 25% salary increase this month which will further be increased by 50% in the first-quarter of next year, but regretted that the workers had refused to comply with the decision.
Ameen Sangari Industry is the only industry in the Central Region that manufactures soap, detergents, polish and perfumery.
Source: GNA