Graphic rewards hardworking staff

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has described the latest hikes in utilities as fair.

The General Secretary of the ICU, Mr Solomon Kotei, said if the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) had rolled out the right tariffs, Ghanaians would have been paying more than 34 per cent for electricity and more than 14 per cent for water.

The PURC, on June 25, announced increments in tariffs, in line with the automatic adjustment formula — 12 per cent for electricity and 6.1 per cent for water — in a third quarter review.

That, the ICU general secretary said, was a satisfactory review that would not overburden workers in the harsh economic situation the country was facing. 

Awards

He was speaking at a staff durbar of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) in Accra at which long-serving employees and hardworking staff who excelled in their fields last year were rewarded. 

Ms Mabel Aku Banasseh, a reporter on the company’s flagship, the Daily Graphic, emerged the Overall Best Worker of the Year.  

She was lauded for her coverage of the 2012 presidential election petition. 

The occasion also marked the swearing-in of newly elected local union executive members, led by Mr Henry Addo.

Speaking at the durbar which comes on the heels of protracted negotiations for better conditions of service which ended at the National Labour Commission, Mr Kotei urged the staff of the company to work extra hard to improve the company’s fortunes and urged the union executive members to lead the members of staff with truth and integrity.

Union chairman 

Mr Addo said it was important that management be transparent and negotiate in good faith with workers. 

He assured management that fair and firm union leadership was in place to ensure that the interest of workers was served.

MD Speaks

Responding, the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ken Ashigbey, promised transparent leadership in dealing with the union and urged the staff to re-dedicate themselves to the company to achieve success.  

“We need to realise the fact that the competition out there is looking to take our market share,” he said

Mr Ashigbey said the prevailing economic situation, in which the cedi was continuously sliding against the dollar and other major trading currencies, was affecting business, but he was quick to add that the company was embarking on a diversification drive to increase its profit.