Mine Workers Union Appeals Goldfields Ghana Lay Off Case

The Ghana Mine Workers Union has appealed a ruling by an Accra High Court dismissing an injunction application filed by some workers of Goldfields Company Limited over the dismissal of 1,500 workers of the company.

According to the union, the judge overlooked essential procedural issues they raised.

“So virtually we disagree with the ruling and for that matter it has major implications for the industrial landscape in our country,” the General Secretary of the Ghana Mine Workers Union, Prince William Ankrah said in an interview with Citi Business News.

He added, “As a law abiding union we will not take any simplistic rules of labor unrest, however we have immediately appealed for a stay of execution so that we can get the process revisited in the Appeals court”.

The High Court dismissed the application, explaining that the mining company risks losing more if the substantive matter on whether they acted within the law goes in their favour.

The ruling paves way for Goldfields to go ahead with its intended dismissal of the 1,500 workers.

Expressing their disappointment, Mr. Ankrah stated that the ruling may set a precedent that will make workers worse off.

“It is very disappointing because the judge in her ruling feels that the company has a burdened financial muscle, however that will in turn allow the companies to do what they intend doing .We are talking about workers who are working for a world class company and there’s no basis for such intended mining contract option”.

He was of the view that the ruling by the judge will allow other companies to short change workers in the future

“So if the ruling will lean on the fact that they claim they are losing money that has not been verified and for that matter it becomes the trend, then I’m afraid each company can gang up, submit some numbers that have not been verified then it will allow them to short change people which is indeed very disappointing,” he lamented.