NLA Staff strike is ”wrongful and unfair” – Labour Commission

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ruled that workers of the National Lottery Authority (NLA) are to suspend their industrial action and return to work with immediate effect because the action was wrongful and unfair.

The workers had no choice but to comply with the directive and have resumed work as at yesterday Tuesday.

On Monday, some workers of the NLA abandoned work and demanded for the immediate resignation of the Authority’s Director General, Kofi Osei-Ameyaw.

As at Monday March 1, 2021, some of the workers said they had not received their salary for the previous month, February, and that it was evidence of salary delays under the leadership of Osei-Ameyaw therefore he should resign.

They also complained about their salaries not been increased for a while now and that it was unfair.

Some of the aggrieved workers also said the NLA had not paid some lotto winners wither money and that such winners were threating their lives therefore they had justification to embark on the strike action.

The National Labour Commission invited the agitated workers into a meeting with the Director General of the Authority, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, to find an amicable solution to the concerns raised.

A statement signed by the NLC’s Executive Secretary, Ofosu Asamoah and issued after meeting on Monday read: “The NLC declares today’s action of workers as wrongful and unfair and orders the workers to call off the suspension of withdrawal of services and resume work immediately.”

It also gave the following directives:

1. The staff are to ensure that the Draw for today March 1, 2021, is held.
2. Management and the Union should arrange a meeting latest by Friday, March 5, 2021, to discuss the workers; grievances.
3. Management must assure the workers of their safety and accordingly provide security and ensure their safety.
4. Communication between the Union and Management should be strengthened in the interest of good employer-employee relations.

Meanwhile the Authority has said any person who has evidence of genuinely winning the lottery and had not been paid should produce the evidence and be assured of payment within two weeks.

Top management said such supposed delay in payments had not reached their notice.