Mine Workers to Petition Parliament Over Layoffs at Goldfields

The Ghana Mine Workers Union will this morning march to Parliament to demonstrate against what they describe as the unacceptable treatment of the workers of Goldfields Ghana Limited.

This follows a decision by the mining firm to lay off about one thousand five hundred of its workers.

According to the company, the layoff is as a result of the mine life which is about six years.

However in an interview with Citi Business News, National Chairman of the Union, Kwarko Mensah Gyarkari said the members will present their case to parliament today.

“The next action is for us to go to parliament and let the government and other stake holders hear us and call Goldfields to order, we are calling Goldfields to order.”

He added, “On the Golfields website it clearly shows that the mines have a life span of about ten more years yet today they claim the life of the mines are only up to six year, which information do they want us to go by now, this clearly shows that they are lying and we will take them on”.

Meanwhile the General Secretary for the Trade Unions Congress (TUC), Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah has said that the TUC will fully support the Mine Workers Union in their plight.

According to him the action taken by Goldfields infringes on the rights of the workers and hence the TUC will use every legal means to ensure that no worker is laid off.

“We will let them know that there is a union and law in this country , we are here to solidarize with them because that is what we do as a union , we will continue to do all we can to protect their interest and Ghana Mine Workers Union”.

“They have made a move they have gone to court to try and stop this action by Goldfields and legally we are going to provide more support in terms of lawyers, in terms of our own experience in dealing with these issues , this is not the first time we are dealing with such an issue. I am just calling on Alfred Baku and the executives of Goldfields to come around and I did not expect such treatment from him to Ghanaians.”