MMT workers embark on strike (Video)
Workers of the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) have embarked on a nationwide sit down strike to impress on management to find a solution to the myriad of problems currently bedeviling the company.
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The strike has resulted in many commuters getting stranded as the drivers have parked their buses.
In Accra, the aggrieved workers including drivers, conductors, mechanics and check point clerks thronged the head office of the MMT in red bands and chanted war songs, reports Emelia Ennin Abbey.
One of the drivers who spoke to Graphic Online, Mr Kojo Koranteng said the demonstration was to put pressure on management to find a solution to the challenges the company was currently experiencing.
According to the workers a significant number of their vehicles have broken down while others have also gone missing.
"The company is unable to buy spare parts which cost very little to put the buses on the road. Many of the buses have broken down and so we come to work and sit down with nothing [sic] to do," he said.
He said the drivers and conductors were also not happy about their low salaries and wanted that addressed.
The Minister of Transport, Ms Dzifa Ativor has visited the MMT offices for a meeting with the leaders of the aggrieved workers, management and board.
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Below is a resolution by the workers addressed to the Minister of Transport
SENIOR & JUNIOR STAFF UNION METRO MASS TRANSIT LIMITED
The Honorable Minister Ministry of Transport Accra
Dear Sir,
RESOLUTION
January 9, 2015
At an emergency joint Divisional Union of both MMT Senior and Junior Staff Union meeting held at the UNICOF Conference room at the Hall of TUC (Ghana) on Friday, 9th January 2015, delegates after extensive discussions on the recent developments of the company adopted and passed the following resolution for the attention of the Honorable Minister of Transport.
We resolve that:
1. The procurement of spare parts from VDL Holland should be restored to ensure the availability of genuine spare parts.
2. The Divisional Union does not have confidence in the Board Chairman and ask for his removal from office. This is due to the fact that there is a conflict of interest situation in the company where he doubled up as the Board Chairman and the Chairman of the Entity Tender Committee and had been a supplier to the company. Honorable Minister, please evidence of this can be traced out on records of the company.
3. The Divisional Union can no longer work with the Deputy Managing Director with the reasons being that:
a) He directed that buses earmarked for scrapping be towed out in whole from the Kumasi MMT yard contrary to the company's policy directive which states that boarded/auctioned MMT buses should be cut into pieces before leaving the premises of the company after being sold. Some of these buses have already been repaired and are on the road working.
b) Buses, which were not meant for scrapping were swapped with buses earmarked for scrapping on his directive.
He directed that repair cost of buses be inflated for it to look unattractive for repairs hence result in scrapping. This goes further to buttress his earlier involvement in the towing of buses as contained in (a) above.
Please Honorable Minister, a committee was formed and tasked to investigate the foregoing and a report is available to testify. The major suppliers of the company should be paid on time to enable them supply relevant items needed for the operations of the company.
Signed for and on behalf of the Unionized workers of MMT Limited
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