Members of the National Lotto Receivers Union have begun a nationwide indefinite strike in protest at the reduction of commission paid to them by the National Lottery Authority (NLA). The strike comes days after they held a meeting with executives of the authority to discuss their concerns. The lotto receivers say the decision to review downward the commission paid to lotto retailers from 25 per cent to 20 per cent, is unacceptable and a calculated attempt to throw them out of business. The review should have taken effect from February 1, 2011, but has been suspended due to the protest by the lotto retailers. The National Lottery Authority has said the reduction is in accordance with plans to modernize the sector to increase revenue generation. The General Secretary of the National Lotto Receivers Union, Kofi Frimpong told Citi News, the unionized members are on strike because the NLA has not been honest in its dealings with them. “They have not opened their doors for fruitful engagements between us. All that they are doing is manipulation, manoeuvring and propaganda work. We have met only once on 25th January where they said we should present our proposal and we presented it with other Lotto Marketing Companies. We are saying that we are rejecting their decision to reduce the Commission which represents 20% reduction in our income. "We have also worked with NLA for all these years and assisted them to mobilize substantial amount of revenue to support successive governments’ economic endeavours and we are still doing that relentlessly. The thing is that, if you insist on your right, you have to sacrifice to gain your right so this strike is going to be indefinite” he said. Meanwhile, a member of the Board of Directors for the NLA, Enoch Cobbinah Hemans says the strike by the lotto receivers is unwarranted. He has accused leaders of the lotto receivers Union of manipulating their members to protest against their wish. "I had information that the leaders were trying to prevent some of their members from legitimately doing their business. And I think that was not right. The leadership of the Union can take a decision to strike but I think that individual members have the right to disassociate themselves and decide to work. "We are in this business together so we have to share the risk and the profitability that comes along with modernisation and reform. So these were the issues that we wanted them to address but they have refused to have a discussion with their members along those lines. I think that this type of leadership is not the best” he said. Source: Citifmonline