The Former President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Ms Philippa Larsen, has urged the leadership of organised labour, to be vigilant and resolute in negotiating for the 2023 National Daily Minimum Wage and salaries.
She has entreated the leadership not to accept any percentage increase below the country’s inflation rate.
Ms Larsen made the call at the Greater Accra Regional May Day celebrations, last Sunday, which was held under the theme: “Protecting Jobs and Incomes in the Era of COVID-19 and beyond.”
The celebrations was also to award some persons of national unions,who demonstrated exceptional skills at their workplaces.
Mrs Larsen said the “Majority of Ghanaian workers cannot save to do anything better for themselves. We have to depend on loans. TheGhanaian worker is suffering. We also deserve better. Things arereally hard”.
She, therefore,called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency institute measures to address the plight of workers.
Mrs Larsencongratulated the award winners for demonstrating exceptional skills at their workplaces, adding that “let the awards spur you and the other workers on to higher levels.”
She encouraged members of the organised labour to continue to work hard to increase productivity, to enhance the growth and development of Ghana.
Ms Freda Frimpong, Regional Secretary, Trade Union Congress (TUC), indicated that it was time salaries in both private and public sectors are equated to inflation in order to avoid worsening living standards among workers and their families.
Labour unions that received awards, included the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU), Ghana Mine Workers Union (GMWU), Judicial Services Staff Association (JUSAG), Public Utilities Workers Union (PUWU) and the Health Services Workers Union (HSWU).
Others were the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM) and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR
