The National Lotteries Authority (NLA) has been accused of making subtle moves to frustrate the efforts of workers to join a union of their choice.
According to sources, Management of National Lottery Authority led by Kofi Osei Ameyaw, a former Member of Parliament, is doing everything possible to impose the Welfare Association on the workers instead of allowing the Union which has legal status to represent and negotiate for them
Even though the National Labour Commission (N.L.C.) has directed the two parties to meet and signed regulations governing formation of the Unions on several occasions, NLA appears to be dragging its feet and has refused to honour these meetings. Instead, it wants to know the faces behind the union before honouring the NLC directives, an act which amounts to an unfair labour practice.
Workers of the NLA who have opted to join the Union are being represented by the Financial Business and Services Employees Union (FBSEU) at the Labour Commission after the Union acquired the Collective Bargaining Certificate from Labour Department in 2016.
Portions of a letter by the National LabourC omission to the two parties dated April 25th 2019, read, “The Commission directs that, the parties should go and comply with the Collective Bargaining Certificate by forming the Standing Negotiating Committee to discuss the rules and regulation of the Committee in accordance with Section 101 of the Labour Law 2003 (ACT 651).
“The Commission further directs that, they engage within one month and anything arising out of the Collective Bargaining Certificate they should contact the Chief Labour Officer for clarification”
Information available to this reporter show that, the Union in a letter dated 29th April 2019 proposed a meeting with the Management of the National Lottery Authority to be held on the 7th May 2019 all in an effort to meet the ONE (1) month deadline as directed by the Commission however Management of N.L.A. has not replied and not given any alternative date for the meeting.
Background:
According to our sources, the NLA is hell-bent on frustrating efforts by its employees to join a union which commenced sometime in 2016, which is their right and rather foist a so-called Welfare Association on them, an Association which has not been able to negotiate on behalf of the members.
Records available to this paper clearly establish that the NLA has on several occasions failed to appear for the N.L.C. for hearing on the following dates: 25th July 2018, 6th September 2018, 24th October 2018 and 28th October 2018 even the FBSEU has always been available for hearing.
Meanwhile efforts to reach management of NLA for their side of the story has proven futile as they have declined comment.
Stay tuned for more revelations!
