NLC failing Ghanaian workers – NAGRAT

The Greater Accra Regional Branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has chided the National Labour Commission (NLC) as a body in the labour sector that has completely lost its power to manage labour issues in the country.

The Gt. Accra Regional Branch of NAGRAT alleges that the Labour Commission is unable to call government to order when the need arises anytime there are issues between government and public sector workers.

Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.3 FM Tuesday, the Chairman of the Gt. Accra NAGRAT, Rene Senyo Kwamikorkor said their problem of unpaid allowance is not new to Labour Commission, but insisted the latter has blatantly ignored them from the past years when they petitioned it.

“The Labour Commission is not able to stamp its authority in labour issues when it matters. I don’t even know whether they exist or not-The less said about them the better. Anytime we reach them with our problems they tell us to adhere to the rules of the game by calling off our industrial actions before they begin a process of negotiation, however they are unable to call government to order when it goes contrary to what the rules of the game say.”

Gt. Accra Branch of NAGRAT has given government up to September 30, to pay all allowances owed them or face their wrath.

The body says several appeals made to get government respond to their demands regarding their employment have failed.

“We’re supposed to be given salary increment in our appointment letter every year, but the government has refused to pay the salary arrears for the 2011/2012 academic year. When the government started the SSPP, they stopped the payment of some allowances; They made us understand that those payments would be paid to us when we go on the Single Spine. They’ve only paid part of it, but they never paid the balance.”