BY Joel Owusu, Accra, 28 October 1998 About 150 workers of the Seraphim Surgical Limited in Accra, manufacturers of hospital materials, were today barred from entering the factory premises.

The workers, who wore red bands and sang war songs in front of the main gate, went on a sit down strike on October 27, to back their demands for a 70 per cent salary increase.

However, when they reported for work this morning the gates had been locked. As at 10 ;30am when GRi got there, gates remained closed though work was to start at 8:00am A placard displayed at one entrance shows salary levels in relations to number of years served. It read: five years; 63,000 cedis, eight years; 65,000 cedis, 10 years; 68,000cedis and 15 years 75,000 cedis.

GRi learnt that the general supervisor, Mr Joseph Lokko who has worked for 24 years takes 80,000 cedis. When Mr. Seth Awuku the union chairman was contacted, he said the union has been negotiating with management since April this year to no avail.

He said, workers patience was over-stretched when a meeting on October, 27, involving Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), management and the local union was deadlocked. He said management was prepared to give a 25 per cent increase as a temporary remedy instead of the 70 per cent demanded by workers

When the GRi contacted Col. (Rtd.) P.K. Awuku, the Managing Director, he said the closure of the factory was a mistake, he was however reluctant to tell whose fault it was.

The security man at the entrance said he had been given instructions to keep the gates closed but will not disclose the source.

Another meeting will be conveyed on October 29. The Managing Director says he hope all parties will attend the meeting. Col. Awuku said negotiations has dragged on because of the energy crises which has slacken production, adding that under normal circumstances, management should have laid of workers because production had gone down.