ICU cautions Private FM stations Owners in Volta

Mr. Ananga, Regional ICU Officer (M)

The Volta regional branch of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has sent a word of caution to owners of private FM stations and other employers in the region to desist from the blatant flouting of the labour laws by paying their employees below the national minimum wage.

According to Mr. Samuel Ananga, the Union’s regional Officer, most of the private entities including the FM stations and schools denied their workers adequate remuneration and other service benefits, despite engaging their services beyond the statutory 8 working hours per day; in violation of the international labour Organisation’s convention on ‘equal pay for equal work.’

At a press briefing to mark the maiden edition of ‘World Precarious Day’ in Ho on Tuesday, Mr. Ananga disclosed that his outfit has in recent times received numerous complaints from such workers, who in some cases are not paid their meagre salaries for months.

The Volta region in recent years has seen the proliferation of radio stations with seven currently operating in Ho the regional capital.

Some workers of these stations, according to Mr. Ananga have also been working for years without appointment letters, a situation he said violates section 75 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)  which stipulates that ‘a worker who is employed by the same employer for a continuous period of six months and more shall be treated as a permanent worker.’

He also advised desperate job seekers to insist on their rights and not allow themselves to be exploited by some unscrupulous business owners.

The ‘world Precarious day’ is marked to bring to the attention of the government, employers, civil society organizations, advocates of justice and equality, workers and the public the injustice and deprivation being meted out to casual workers.