‘Help make Graphic more profitable’
The Chairman of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) Local Union, Mr Henry Addo, has called on both management and staff of the company to reflect on the nature and direction of the company and the changes needed to make it more profitable.
“We need changes to ensure that future prosperity benefits everyone. Changes to ensure that we recruit personnel who understand our business. Changes in our human resource management and development approach. Changes in our succession planning to curb apathy. Changes in our news as to bring wealth. Changes that will give the Graphic a new culture,” he said at a staff durbar to swear in new union executive members and reward outstanding employees.
Speaking at the durbar which came on the heels of a rather protracted negotiations for better conditions of service which ended at the National Labour Commission (NLC), the union chairman said it was important that management was transparent in negotiations with workers.
“Since our last collective bargaining negotiations, we have tried to mend the broken bridge. As a union we know nothing comes without a fight. Nothing comes free and therefore, we will continue to pursue all our demands with dialogue, force, persuasion, tact and fortitude.”
“We must think how we build a Graphic that delivers fairness for all at a time when there is less money to spend,” he said.
Awards
The event provided the avenue to reward workers, some of whom have served between 10 and 30 years and recognition for outstanding employees for 2013.
While Mr Nsiah Kojo Salford, Josiah Kotei and Roland Bruce Gardiner were awarded for 30 years dedicated service to the company, Mabel Aku Baneseh emerged the overall Best Worker of the Year 2013. She took home a certificate, an undisclosed sum and a working trip abroad.
While Internet penetration is slow in Ghana and most parts of Africa, its capacity to cripple the newspaper industry in the industry, experts say, remain a major headache.
Rallying the staff to work hard to ultimately improve their conditions of service, Mr Addo demanded commitment and team work so that the benefits of hard work could be shared.
“We should resolve to make the most of productivity and sales margins, and then together we can all enjoy bigger salaries, allowances, bonuses.”
He, however, said there was serious concern about how wealth was created, how opportunities were shared, how success was rewarded and how power was exercised in the company.
“We should be mindful of the fact that declaring redundancy is not the way out to be profitable. The human resource is very valuable and we should not be throwing them away through redundancy,” he added.
Managing Director responds
The Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ken Ashigbey responding to the demands of the union, pledged a transparent administration.
While promising that the company would share its wealth with members of staff, he urged them to rededicate themselves to the company to increase the company’s market share.
Mr Ashigbey said the prevailing economic situation in which the cedi was continuously sliding against the dollar and other major trading currencies, was affecting business but he was quick to add that the company was embarking on a diversification drive to increase its profit.
He, therefore, urged the staff to come up with ideas that would help diversify the company’s business portfolio.
ICU General Secretary
The General Secretary of the ICU, Mr Solomon Kotei, urged the workers to embrace change and eschew old attitudes and ways of doing things to advance the interest of the company.
He said while the ICU would continue to negotiate for better conditions of service for its members, the welfare of staff of the company would depend on promoting the interest of the company.
He, therefore, urged the staff of the company to collaborate with management to enhance not just the reading and circulation of the company’s newspapers but ultimately profit.
