THE Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) is warning of a possible unrest and agitation in the cocoa sector, which could adversely affect the fortunes of cocoa production in Ghana.
According to the union, the attitude and management style of the Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr Stephen Opuni, is creating tension among employees, unions, as well as management staff, which could soon trigger unrest.
A letter dated February 1, 2016 and addressed to Haruna Iddrissu, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, and copied to the Chief of Staff, accused Dr Opuni of creating a culture of silence in COCOBOD through intimidation, as staff who point out his shortfalls are transferred to remote areas.
The letter, signed by Solomon Kotei, General Secretary of ICU, and Kingsley Ofei-Nkansah, General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), said for over six decades ICU and GAWU had been organising the workers of the cocoa industry and had been issued Collective Bargaining Certificates as accredited representatives of the workers in the cocoa industry to negotiate with the management of COCOBOD the conditions of employment and non-employment of employees of COCOBOD.
According to the letter, titled ‘Industrial Relations at COCOBOD-The COCOBOD Chief Executive’s Misfeasance’, in this year’s Wage Re-Opener negotiations, the management of COCOBOD flagrantly ignored the ICU and GAWU to negotiate the Wage Re-Opener with the local union, who do not have the locus in law to negotiate with management of COCOBOD, behind the back of GAWU and ICU.
This is despite official written request from ICU and GAWU, who are the parties to the Collective Agreement, to the Chief Executive of COCOBOD to open negotiations for the 2016 Wage Re-Opener, it added.
GAWU and ICU noted that the COCOBOD Chief Executive went ahead and authorised the implementation of the illegally negotiated Wage Re-Opener despite protestations by ICU and GAWU.
“This was not only a stab in the back of ICU and GAWU, but also intended to undermine the integrity and authority of ICU and GAWU in the eyes of our members.
“We see the attitude of the Chief Executive of COCOBOD towards ICU and GAWU as nothing but union busting, which does not only constitute unfair labour practices but also an interference in union matters by the management of COCOBOD”, the letter said.
The two unions accused Dr Opuni of failing to act on a directive from President John Mahama to resolve the issue of unpaid salaries of West African Mills Company Limited (WAMCO) workers.
According to ICU, Dr Opuni did not attend meetings called to address the WAMCO issue, but rather delegated two of his deputies.
“[It is] sad to say that up till now we have heard nothing from the COCOBOD Chief Executive on the issue.
“That virtually killed the President’s compassionate initiative on the issues.
“Given the circumstances, we opine that the President’s initiative was deliberately stifled by the COCOBOD Chief Executive”, it added.
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