Trasacco workers demonstrate, demand full payment of compensation

More than 100 contract workers of Italian construction company, Trasacco Estate Development Company, on Wednesday, protested against the firm which builds Accra’s most luxurious homes.

The demonstration was against the company’s decision to pay them only 25 percent of their salaries after sacking them two months ago without pay.

The company allegedly sacked them verbally, some two months ago, without giving them their retrenchment packages.

The affected staff say they endured harsh working conditions over the years while working with Trasacco.

According to some of them, they had worked as contract workers for eight years without their full salaries, contrary to a stated probation period of 6 months.

They, therefore, massed up at the company’s headquarters to demand their retrenchment benefits.

One of the affected workers who narrated his ordeal to Citi News said the decision to lay them off has no basis.

“There is no confusion between us and the company but they told us to go for no reason. If they have sacked us, then they should give us our benefits as stipulated by law. Today, the company is now telling us that they never knew they had casual workers.”

“I have worked here for 13 years. I am paid ¢32 instead of ¢250.We have not committed any crime. They just sacked us without giving us any compensation. They should just pay us so we go, he stressed.”

We have been diligent in our dealings

However, management of the company has absolved itself from any wrongdoing.

Deepak Kumar, Finance Director at Trasacco

Deepak Kumar, director of finance and administration at Trasacco told Citi News the aggrieved workers know they will be paid what is due them.

“Temporary workers were asked to go on vacation for two months. This is purely due to market conditions, economic conditions and scaling down our operations which is very prominent in any construction industry. It is not new, it happens in prime or major construction companies.  If you don’t have revenue you don’t expect that workers come to work and get paid.”

“We are surprised about this event. We actually told them to be at home for two months. There were concerns on how we were going to compensate them.

“After negotiation, we agreed that the employees will get 25 percent of their basic salary in both October and November. This has been processed and they know about it that it will be paid in the last week of this month, and this has been amicably concluded.”