The workers of Labadi Beach Hotel have embarked on a sit-down strike over what they describe as poor salaries and conditions of service.
Chairman for the workers union at the hotel, Emmanuel Dartey told Adom News’ Emmanuella Ablah Aforkpah that all attempts to get these issues resolved have proved futile.
Mr Dartey said the union had presented its grievances to the management of the hotel earlier this year but nothing has been done.
He said they were directed by the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) to embark on a strike from today until their grievances are resolved.
Mr Dartey noted that the leadership of the workers faced victimisation whenever it was time for salary negotiations and were treated as enemies.
“Our General Manager, Michael Rathgeb walked out of a salary negotiation meeting with the workers and the ICU last night with everybody thinking he had gone to the washroom, only for us to be told he went through a back door and sat in his car and drove off” Mr Dartey said.
He continued that “ICU executives therefore told us to start a strike today and also prevent the GM from entering the hotel this morning until he agrees to meet our demands of a 15.8% salary increment.
“The GM did not show up for work this morning and that is why we still went ahead with our strike and protest” he said.
Meanwhile, some of the workers allege that about 90% of the workers at the hotel are casual workers and they earn as low as GHC300 without any other benefits and yet some of them have duties heavier than that of regular workers.