PROTECT OUR JOBS –ADB Workers Demand

Minister of Employment & Labour Relations Haruna Iddrisu

By Mercy Hededzome

Members of the local union of the Agricultural Development Bank have called  on Government agencies, the Trades Union Congress and the Ghana Employers Association to ensure the rights of working people of Ghana are protected.

The call was made following some recent developments at the bank and which threaten the job security of the working staff.

The workers have warned that the unfolding trend, within management would undermine trust between the staff and management the bank and ultimately affect productivity and profitability.

“We fear that although the constitution of Ghana protects freedom of speech and the right of every worker to join a union, the Managing Director of the ADB is engaged in a vicious victimization of the workers who participate in union activities.”

According to the workers, the Management of the bank has issued queries to over 400 unionized employees of the ADB , an act the workers consider as repulsive and have called for such acts to be resisted.

The whole of the three Northern Zones and the South Zone of the bank were queried for their participation in a sit- down protest directed by the National Union sometime this year.

The workers explained that management was aware that the National Union issued the directive under certain circumstances, but has failed to raise queries with the National Union at the level of the standing Negotiating Committee.

The workers allege that the Managing Director of the ADB has adopted a kind of “Rambo” style in the annihilation of workers, he considers as enemies by threatening to sack workers without recourse to the National Union.

According to the aggrieved workers, an apology rendered by the National Union in good faith and aimed at enabling all the parties to move on and concentrate on the productivity and positive public image for the bank could not assuage the Managing Director from exacting his revenge.

Since July 2015, the Management of ADB has stopped remitting to the National Union the dues of over 300 members without recourse to the individual workers or the standing Negotiating Committee.

It is for such abuse of workers’ rights that the International Labour Organization through its  Conventions and Recommendations, have adopted clear guidelines that encourage social dialogue among social partners as the best approach to resolving industrial dispute .’’

Mr. John Amegashi the Deputy General Secretary of the workers union said they “ have sought the high offices of key stakeholders and trade unionists to intervene and to draw attention to best practices in managing such public, industrial relations, but, these efforts, though engaged in good faith by conciliators and the Union, appear to have been derailed by the Management of the ADB.