Ketan (W/R), March 12, GNA - More than 2,000 workers of Ghana Railway Company (GRC) on Wednesday embarked on a peaceful demonstration through principal streets in Sekondi to demand the dismissal of their Managing director, Mr. Rufus Quaye, from office. The demonstrators also demanded the payment of their salary arrears covering four months, as well as pay rise and a new collective bargaining agreement.
The workers, clad in red bands on their arm, hand and heads, danced and chanted war songs during the match. They later presented a petition to Mr Anthony Amoah, Western Regional Minister at his office in Sekondi. They said they were marching to let the public know the truth about the entire railway crisis and the poor management style of Mr Quaye and his team.
They carried placards some of which read, "Prof. Ekumfi is a failure to GRC," "Quaye must go," "we have suffered enough" and "pay us our salaries now".
The workers accused Mr Amoah of not intervening when the crisis started and had allowed it to deepen.
"We expected you to intervene as the father of the region when the crisis started but you were no where to be found," one of their leaders said when presenting the petition.
The workers have been on strike for almost a month, despite a directive by the National Labour Commission asking them to resume work. Receiving the petition, Mr. Amoah appealed to them to call off the strike and resume work while negotiations continue over their grievances. The workers will hold a press conference on Thursday March 13.