Accra, July 15, GNA – Calm has returned to the FGR Bogoso-Prestea Mine in the Prestea-Huni Valley district of the Western Region, following fruitful deliberations between the management and workers at the Mine.
Workers of the Mine had embarked on a series of industrial strikes over severance payments, following the sale of the Bogoso Prestea Mine on September 30th 2020 to FGR Bogoso Prestea (FGR BP) Limited.
Employees under the previous owner, Golden Star Resources (GSR), had expected payment of severance prior to the completion of the transaction.
This was, however, not met consequently leading to a series of industrial actions and a lawsuit being instituted against GSR Bogoso Prestea Limited.
But a joint statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said an extraordinary Joint Standing Negotiation Committee (JSNC) was established to find a lasting solution to the impasse.
The meeting, it said, was between FGR Bogoso Prestea Limited (FGRBPL), the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) of the Trades Union Congress, Bogoso Gold Enterprise Based Union (BGEBU) of Ghana Federation of Labour, and Exempt Staff of FGR Bogoso Prestea Limited.
It was convened and witnessed by officers of the Labour Department.
“The meeting was intended to manage the concerns relating to the severance payment for the permanent employees of FGRBPL. All parties contributed to these discussions in good faith with the view to restore and sustain operations at the Mine, as well as rebuild the Company’s social licence to operate,” it said.
The statement said the extraordinary JSNC meeting, which lasted for seven days, came out with way forward that included a negotiated three-stage severance payment plan between October 2021 and October 2023 for the affected permanent employees.
The statement added that the agreement only dealt with severance as a result of change in ownership of the Company, adding that in addition to the severance payments, all affected permanent employees would be re engaged on established contracts of employment with a specified period of time.
“Following this, it has been agreed that the court action instituted against GSR Bogoso Prestea Limited by the affected workers will be abandoned.
“Having mutually agreed a way forward, the outcome of the meeting has averted further industrial actions resulting from the sale of the Mine by GSR and the associated non-payment of severance. Mining operations can now continue in the interest of all parties and the local communities,” the statement added.
GNA