A Labour Consultant, Mr Austin Gamey, has called on the leadership of Workers Union to study the Labour Law to empower them to engage effectively with employers to address the needs of employees.
The Labour Consultant who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Gamey and Gamey Consult, made the call at the official launching of the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) in Bolgatanga, the Regional capital of Upper East Region on Saturday.
The occasion under the theme “Building a strong Union: Mobilising for a Real Deal”, attracted members from all the 16 regions of the country.
Mr Gamey said just like the Bible that was a powerful tool for Christians, the Labour Act was such a powerful tool that could be used by Workers Union leaders to engage employers amicably to address workers concerns.
He stated majority of the leaders of workers unions including the employers do not even understand the Labour Act that had been developed as a weapon for addressing the differences between employees and employers.
The Labour Consultant,therefore, underscored the need for both labour unions and the employers to thoroughly study the Labour Act, stressing that in this 21st century era, there was no need for strikes and demonstrations, but to negotiate and dialogue to reach a consensus.
He stated that if trade union leaders and employers agreed to implement the provisions in the Labour Act, majority of the strikes in the working environment would have been curtailed.
He further entreated the leadership of unions to upgrade their leadership skills knowledge to embolden them fight for workers’ rights and other conditions of services.
Mr Gamey hinted that per the Labour Law, employers weresupposed to disclose the money accrued from production and the expenditure to workers but majority of employers did not do so.
‘’Act 97 of the labour law enjoins employers to reveal the details about what they generate to their employees but most of the employers do not do so. Lack of communication leads to lack of coordination frustration and trust’’, he stressed.
The General Secretary of the MELPWU, MrCephas Kofi Akortor, stated that for many years his outfit had suffered injustices and discrimination at the workplaces without a voice to speak, making them prone to economic hardship.
“DespiteMELPWU contributions to the health sector and the economic growth of the country, lack of condition of service has stifled our opportunity to get equitable treatment at the work places, prospects for our professional and personal development’’, he stressed.
He stated that the group would provide the leadership that would give a strong bargaining voice to theMELPWU work force in Ghana, to bring economic justice to members, provide membership with relevant welfare schemes, among others.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, BOLGATANGA