Tema, Aug 13, GNA - The Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) would on August 24, meet to take a position on the utility tariff increases in the country.

A statement signed by Mr Wilson Agana and Mr Ebenezer Kodwo Taylor, Chairman and Secretary respectively, noted with dismay the government's refusal to ask the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to suspend the implementation of the utility tariff increases.

The Council expressed surprise at the unconcerned attitude of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) which, after issuing a statement on the utility hikes on July 12, had refused to see to the reversal of the increases.

The statement said the increases were affecting workers and that most workers in Tema were going to be thrown out of jobs because some employers had started beating the war drums of lay-offs, redundancies and retrenchment.

"We workers of Tema see the behaviour of government as a stab at the back as one of the conditions which TUC gave in suspending the intended nationwide industrial action was for the PURC to suspend the implementation of the utility increases, whilst all stakeholders sit down with PURC to review the tariffs downwards."

This, the Council said, the government had gone contrary to, and "we are really disappointed."

The statement said TDCL was gradually exhausting its patience and members reserved the right to reconvene on Aug 24 to take any action they deem appropriate on the utility hikes.