Organized Labour Rejects Pleas To Call Off Planned Nationwide Demonstration

Organised labour has rejected appeals from government to back down on their planed nationwide demonstration on Thursday.

Yesterday, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrissu met the leadership of organised labour and appealed to them to call off the action, since the day falls on the second anniversary of the death of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills. 

Spokesperson for Organised Labour, Kofi Asamoah, told Radio Ghana that after consultations with members, they have decided to go ahead with the demonstration. 

He said they are also putting in place measures to ensure that their action does not negatively affect the economy. 

On the impasse between the TUC and the Ghana Federation of Labour
about the use of the title Organised Labour, Mr. Asamoah said they do not intend to engage the Federation on the issue. 

He nevertheless explains the position of the law on the matter and best practices elsewhere.

Meanwhile, A Labour Consultant, Austin Gamey says the decision by  the TUC and other trade unions to go on a demonstration on Thursday is a wrong move.  

Mr. Gamey says, though the unions have the right to demonstrate, the best thing to do in this situation  is to engage government and the employers association under the banner of the Tripartite committee to find lasting solution to their grievances.

According to Mr. Gamey, a one day nation wide demonstration can have
devastating consequences on the national economy. 

On the disagreement between TUC and the Ghana Federation of
Labour, Mr. Gamey said the two unions must iron out their differences.

According to him, the law does not provide for anything like organised labour.  He said government must recognise all unions duly registered
and deal with them as such.

GBC