Minister calls for favourable industrial relations

Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Volta Regional Minister, on Tuesday reiterated that continuous dialogue between labour, management and Government was crucial for creating and sustaining peaceful, harmonious and trustworthy industrial relations.

He said Government expected organised labour and employers to use the established institutions to resolve labour matters.

Mr Kamel said these at the Volta Regional May Day celebration at Hohoe, on the national theme: “Election 2012: The Role of Workers in Securing Peaceful and Fair Elections.”

He said that Government would be sensitive to the plight of workers in the public sector as far as the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSSS) was concerned. He said Government had recognised the technical challenges encountered in the implementation of the SSSS.

He said notwithstanding the meaningful achievement of the Ghanaian labour force, the attitude and conduct of some workers leave much to be desired.

“They exhibit indiscipline, lack of commitment, disrespect for authority, corruption, laziness, lateness to work and are prepared to defend their inefficiency and incompetence at any cost,” Mr Kamel said.

He said: “Meaningful sustainable economic development demands of us to eschew such negative tendencies that would affect high productivity and quality service delivery. The destiny of this country is in our hands. We must therefore create the enabling environment for the Better Ghana that we crave for.”

Mr Kamel called on workers to condemn acts that could trigger civil strife and unrest, by self-seeking political activists.

Mr Elvis S. Van-Lare, Volta Regional Secretary of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, said organized labour reaffirmed its resolve to resolutely defend and uphold the democratic foundations of the nation, to promote democracy and to ensure that every individual participate in decision-making process.

He commended Government and the Fair Wages Salary Commission for the migration of some workers onto the SSSS.

Mr Van-Lare noted that, the agitations and industrial actions associated with the exercise indicated the inability to address the low pay syndrome that has characterized the public sector.

He called on Government and employers to support efforts aimed at the payment of living wages.

Mr Van-Lare, attributed the weakness of the Ghana cedi to structural and characteristic of failed economic policies of the Bretton Woods institutions, spanning three decades, and called for solutions to the problems.

Dr Mrs Margaret Kweku, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, appealed to workers to advocate peace and refrain from partisan politics.

She commended the country’s workers for their contributions to national development.

Seventeen workers, who were awarded for their commitment and dedication to nation-building, received items including gas burners, refrigerators, fans and certificates.**