Accra (Greater Accra) 15 July ?99

The Management of African Automobile Limited (AAL) on Wednesday said it is neither against the unionisation of its employees nor has it ever prevented them from joining the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC).

In an interview in Accra, Mr. David Morray, General Manager of the company, said "we are not and never have we been against our employees joining a union".

Mr. Morray added that Management cannot stop its employees from joining a union should they wish to do so.

Employees should have the free choice to join a union he said, adding that they should not be intimidated to do so.

"Should they choose to join a union, the proper laid down procedure must be followed, this the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) of the TUC have failed to do".

The General Manager said it is a fact that 250 million cedis worth of hand tools have gone missing from the company within the past two years.

He also said 750 million cedis worth of spare parts have been stolen from the company within the past year.

Mr. Morray said there are instances in which customers wishing to bring their vehicles to the workshop for repairs have been diverted by some of the workers to their own workshops to the detriment of the company.

The General Manager said every employee of the company enters into mutual contractual agreement with management and that it is not fair that employees should resort to violent tendencies which can lead to the destruction of the company.

If an employee, after being employed, finds a better position elsewhere, he has the liberty to leave.

Mr. Morray said it is sad to note that some of the employees after receiving their salaries, without any justification, vacate their posts without any prior notification to management.

He assured all customers of the company that it has resumed normal business operations.

Some workers of the AAL recently besieged the premises of the company and succeeded in disrupting business for three weeks.

Following the closure of the company, management of the AAL sued the ICU of the TUC for illegally organising workers of the company to demonstrate against management.

An Accra high court presided over by Mr. Richard Apaloo then ordered workers of the company to stop any industrial action until the case pending before it had been settled.

The case has been adjourned to July 21.