The Management of Picadaccally Biscuits Company Limited has refuted allegations that the company does not have the interest of workers at heart.
Some workers have accused the biscuit company of poor working conditions and also using unwholesome flour for their products. According to the workers, the company uses worm infested flour for production alleging that officials of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) have visited the company several times but have closed their eyes to the substandard processes of production.
The Workers further alleged that some of them have contracted some strange illnesses due to the unavailability of central cooling system to extract the excessive heat, which they say is inevitable due to the ovens they use for baking.
According to the workers, their main bone of contention is the terms of employment, which they claim their employers are abusing. They argued that even though the law on employment stipulates that, a temporary employee who works continuously for six months is entitled to the same benefits of a permanent worker, management has resorted to the practice whereby temporary employees are subjected to an agreement which is renewable after every five months to avoid what is right.
They went on to say that, several temporary works have been maimed due to the poor safety procedures observed at the factory and called on safety official to visit the production sites.
Information reaching newsmen indicates that two workers who have had their wrist and fingers slashed-off and are responding to treatment at the accident ward have been abandoned by management of the company. When contacted, the Audit manager of the company, Mr. Obodai Annan however refuted the allegations and said the company has observed the best of practices since its inception some 20 years ago and will not go contrary to the law of the land.
The Head of Public Affairs at the Labor Commission, Mr. Mohammed Affum said he is not happy with the situation where cases are tried in the media before it comes to the Commission and added that if the workers have any issues with management they should contact the Commission for resolution.
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