Government Called Upon To Create More Jobs

Accra, (Greater Accra Region) 23, Sept. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Maritime and Dockworkers Union (MDU) today called on the government to develop policies and mechanisms to promote job creation. Government can do this by encouraging agro-based industries and creating a climate favourable for local industry and agricultural production. This was contained in a resolution adopted at the 42nd session of the national executive council of the MDU at Tema. The council noted that the unemployment problem in the country ''undermines job security, tends to lower the value of labour, and induces mass poverty''. The resolution reaffirmed support for the policy of unionization of senior staff as an important stimulus to the trades union movement. It called on employers to remove all impediments in the way of unionizing senior staff as ''this is recognized under both the International Labour Organization standards and the 1992 constitution. The NEC expressed concern over the loss of real income of wage earners in the light of the continuing depreciation of the cedi and the rising cost of living, and called on the government to develop an incomes policy that would seek to achieve a living wage for workers. The resolution described the Price Waterhouse report as a threat to collective bargaining and commended the TUC on the bold and responsible position it took on the report. The NEC said the current port reforms are part of a global process which tends to have a negative impact on employment, working conditions and other interests of dock workers and trade union rights. It said no port reforms, including privatization, should be introduced and implemented without consultation and negotiation between the authorities, employers and the trade union. The NEC is alarmed at the continuing deterioration in the standard of education and called on the government to take the necessary measures to rectify the situation. It called for the review of the current cost recovery philosophy on funding education in tertiary institutions in order to ease the crippling burden on parents.

Accra, (Greater Accra Region) 23, Sept. The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Maritime and Dockworkers Union (MDU) today called on the government to develop policies and mechanisms to promote job creation. Government can do this by encouraging agro-based industries and creating a climate favourable for local industry and agricultural production. This was contained in a resolution adopted at the 42nd session of the national executive council of the MDU at Tema. The council noted that the unemployment problem in the country ''undermines job security, tends to lower the value of labour, and induces mass poverty''. The resolution reaffirmed support for the policy of unionization of senior staff as an important stimulus to the trades union movement. It called on employers to remove all impediments in the way of unionizing senior staff as ''this is recognized under both the International Labour Organization standards and the 1992 constitution. The NEC expressed concern over the loss of real income of wage earners in the light of the continuing depreciation of the cedi and the rising cost of living, and called on the government to develop an incomes policy that would seek to achieve a living wage for workers. The resolution described the Price Waterhouse report as a threat to collective bargaining and commended the TUC on the bold and responsible position it took on the report. The NEC said the current port reforms are part of a global process which tends to have a negative impact on employment, working conditions and other interests of dock workers and trade union rights. It said no port reforms, including privatization, should be introduced and implemented without consultation and negotiation between the authorities, employers and the trade union. The NEC is alarmed at the continuing deterioration in the standard of education and called on the government to take the necessary measures to rectify the situation. It called for the review of the current cost recovery philosophy on funding education in tertiary institutions in order to ease the crippling burden on parents.