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TDCL wants Energy Minister to comment on redundancy of
TOR workers
Tema, Sept. 1, Ghanadot/GNA - The
Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) has called on Dr Joe
Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Energy, to publicly comment on the
Tema Oil Refinery’s (TOR) redundancy issue.
The council wants the Minister “to come out clearly on the
redundancy rumour to set the hearts of our dear workers at
peace”.
The call was made in a protest letter addressed to Dr
Oteng-Adjei dated August 27, 2009 and signed by Mr Wilson
Agana and Mr Ebenezer Kodwo Taylor, the Council’s Chairman
and Secretary respectively.
In the protest letter the TDCL further called on the
Minister to immediately act for the restoration of the
dignity of the Ghanaian worker and to also ensure that the
country’s policy on decent work was followed by all.
The council noted that the executive meeting held with the
executives of the local union and PMSU of TOR on August 24
this year was surprised to learn that while the Standing
Joint Negotiation of the company was at a standstill,
hospital bills were in arrears.
TDCL letter also urged the Energy Ministry to act
expeditiously to purchase crude oil for the refinery to save
it from collapsing.
The Council stated that it has noted with concern the
inability of government to purchase crude oil for TOR to
process since April when maintenance of the refinery’s two
plants was completed.
It, therefore, appealed to the Minister to act swiftly on
the worsening living condition of the unionized workers of
TOR to ensure a peaceful industrial working relation at the
refinery.
“The Council believes that after such an extensive shutdown
maintenance exercise, it is not economical to leave the
plants standing idle while the plants could be making
profits if they were running”.
It added that “We understand for example that the recent
shortages of premix, LPG, black oil and other finished
products could have been averted if the refinery were
running”.
GNA
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