Aayalolo drivers strike 'not necessary'; Labour Commission to enforce payment of salary arrears

Drivers of the Quality Bus System popular known as "Aayalolo" says the Greater Accra Passenger Transport Executive (GAPTE) has failed to pay the seven months salary arrears owed them.

Consequently, they have decided to embark on a sit-down strike beginning Monday, February 24, 2020.

In a radio interview with Accra based Citi FM at the beginning of their sit down strike on Monday, the drivers said they will not return to work until their demands are met.

“We have some allowances that have not been paid for about seven months now. They [management] came in December [2019] and promised us payment for two months but they said they didn’t have the money so they gave us one month’s payment which was done on December 24th. They promised to pay us in January but up till date, when they come, they say there is no money. But we are making money [for the company]. We have school fees to pay”, the drivers said.

One of the drivers, Matthew Agbesi said some of them have been ejected from their homes and have been sleeping in the bus terminals because they cannot pay their rents.

National Labour Commission

In a reaction, the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC), Mr Ofosu Asamoah has explained that the issue was before the commission in 2019 and it was ruled that the company [GAPTE] should pay the workers but since that has failed, he urged the drivers to get back to the commission for it to compel GAPTE to comply with the earlier ruling.

“Whenever the commission gives a decision in your favour especially where there are timelines and it has not been complied with, within the days or just after the days that have been given, you come back to the commission either by letter or you walk in, we have a complaint form that, yes, this was given in my favour and has not been complied with.”

He added that the strike was not necessary, “We have an enforcement department headed by the legal department and then we make sure that it is complied with. There is no need for the strike. they only have to come and tell us that yes you said this and that, it has not been complied with so what is it, and then we compel whichever party that is supposed to do what it has not done".

Challenges

The challenges facing Aayalolo started in October 2018, when operations of the bus service came to a halt as management were faced with financial challenges to fuel buses. 

The company partially began operations in April 2019 where buses only moved at peak hours.

In an attempt to cut down the financial challenges, drivers were offered a Gh₵50 wage after working hours instead of a fixed salary.