New Times workers continue protest

Workers of the New Times Corporation (NTC) have resolved not to back down on their protest against the company’s Managing Director, Ms Carol Annang, until their demands are met.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the second day of protest, which began last Monday, the Chairperson of the NTC’s Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU), Mrs Diana Bosuh, said: “we are not allowing Mrs Annang or any member of the board of directors into the premises.”

“This is the only way to make them take us seriously and we are not ready to back down,” she added.

Background

Workers of the company last Monday staged a protest against Ms Annang and other top management members over what they described as “unfavourable working conditions”.

Among other things, the workers are asking for an increment in their salaries and the lifting of an embargo placed on their Provident Fund (PF) by the management of the corporation.

They alleged that the management of the NTC had used the workers’ PF as collateral to secure a loan from the GCB Bank, a deal they said was shrouded in financial impropriety and had denied them their privileges.

Dressed in red T-shirts and with arm bands, the protesters locked the main gate to the offices in a determined move to prevent any member of the top management from entering the premises of the company.

The protesting workers displayed placards, some of which read; “Procurement Law is rendered useless in NTC”, “the Managing Director must go”, “Workers are tired of empty promises” and “We need our Provident fund”.

Nothing has changed

At the time the Daily Graphic visited, it was obvious the stance of the workers had not changed since Monday.

The main entrance to the company had been locked and a notice in bold writing asking members of the board of directors not to enter the premises placed in front of it. There was also a big red flag fixed on top of the main gate.

Almost all the workers present had put on red head and arm bands.

When asked whether the concerns of the workers had been made known to the authorities, Mrs Bonsuh said, “we have already tabled all our issues before the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) who are currently making efforts to speak to the National Media Commission (NMC).”

“We are hoping to hear from the authorities before the end of the week,” she added.

On the subject of the protest affecting productivity, Mrs Bonsuh said work had not been affected in anyway, adding that: “this is not a strike, it’s just a protest.”