Zoomlion Workers Threaten Demo

Zoomlion Ghana Limited last week threatened to sack its workers in the East Ayawaso Sub-Metropolis of Accra if they went ahead with a planned demonstration. The workers said they were not happy with the way they were being treated by management of the company. Workers� complaints Memuna Ansah, who has been working with the company for the past two years, complained bitterly about unfair treatment from those at the helm of affairs. She told the Daily Graphic that workers had not been paid for the past six months. She said as a single parent, she was finding it difficult to pay her children�s school fees with the low salary that she receives. �We planned to embark on a demonstration last month, but our leaders intervened and assured us that we will be paid soon, but the story remains the same,� she said. Another member of staff, Azumi Karim, told the Daily Graphic that workers were forced to work even when they complained of sickness. She said even though they were assured on receiving their appointment letters that they would be enrolled onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), nothing like that had been done. Another worker, Azumah Idi, who claimed to be 60 years and who was almost in tears, said she had been with the company for the past nine months. She mentioned that the situation was worsening by the day. She said, �We are paid GH�100 a month, and for about six months now we have not received anything. Even what to eat has become a problem for me�. She said she had to borrow GH�5 for transportation from Kasoa to Ayawaso, only to be told the salary was not ready. A man who gave his name only as Alex and said he was a supervisor with the company�s East Ayawaso Sub-Metropolitan office, denied the Daily Graphic access to the head of the unit for clarification of the matter. The workers are in the meantime calling for help because they said life was becoming unbearable for them. Meanwhile, the Communications Director of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mr Robert E. T. Coleman, has in a telephone interview confirmed that the company owes workers six months salary. He said efforts were being made to raise for funds to settle the arrears. He said the company had been unable to meet its obligation because it had not received funds from the government in the past ten months . �It is hoped, however, that by the end of this month the company will be in a position to settle the arrears,� he said.