Tullow accused of blocking reinstatement of MODEC staff

Source: citifmonline.com  -  The General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) has accused Tullow Ghana of coercing MODEC against reinstating some dismissed workers of FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

According to the union, the offshore installation manager of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah who is an employee of Tullow Ghana has blatantly refused to admit the workers onto the FPSO.

Per an MOU signed between the union and MODEC in November 2014, MODEC was to reinstate 15 of the 19 sacked workers.

Speaking to Citi Business News, the Deputy General Secretary of the Union, Francis Sallah warned they will advise themselves if Tullow refuses to reinstate the workers.

“We have done our part as a union and management is supposed to do their part and they are saying that they have a problem getting the guys back to the various working positions i.e. the FPSO; because the offshore installation manager on board the facility who is like the captain of the ship is saying that he will not admit these guys back on the FPSO.”

Deputy General Secretary of the Union, Francis Sallah added that ‘we find it very intriguing and shocking that one person who is an expatriate can stop Ghanaians from doing their work in Ghana.”

Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Bernice A. Welbeck, told Citi Business News that they expect the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers Union (GTPCWU) and MODEC to report back to the commission next week Wednesday on progress with regards to the implementation of the MOU.

“Management of MODEC and the Union were directed to go and implement the MOU that was signed and report back to the commission on July 22 after the commission ruled that the strike action the union had served notice for was illegal. The commission is waiting for that and will make the next move.”