PSWU urges Govt to clear air on sale of ADB

WA, Aug, 28, GNA- The Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trades Union Congress, on Tuesday urged the government to clear the air on its intention to offload Bank of Ghana's stake in the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to Stanbic Bank.

The PSWU such a move would help defuse the unnecessary tension that was building up over the issue.

The Union cautioned that the ADB was playing a crucial role in the nation's agricultural sector, which has been the backbone of the country's economy.

The Union said it would rather prefer the re-capitalization of the bank to enable it to continue playing its role. Mr Abraham Okine, General Secretary of the Union said this at the opening of the Upper West Regional quadrennial delegates conference of the union at Wa.

The conference would among others, undertake a self examination of the activities of the regional branch, draw up a programme of activities for the next four years and elect new officers as a prelude to the forthcoming national delegates conference to be held this year. Mr Okine expressed the Union's appreciation to the Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Youth for promulgating Labour Regulations 2007 (LI 1833) on the labour act (ACT651, 2003).

With the promulgating of that Legislative Instrument (LI), the union believed that many of the Labour related agitations would minimize because it gave limits and proper understanding of the framework of the Law.

The PSWU General Secretary, however, disagreed with some provisions of the LI, which in the Union's view, could create unnecessary difficulties for Trade Union existence and Collective Bargaining (CB). He explained that the social partners did not at any time agree that CB Certificates issued to Unions should in all cases be valid for only two years or that Certification should attract a fee of two million cedis (200 GH cedis) as the LI spelt out.

It was further not agreed that renewal of licenses should attract a fee of two million cedis or 200 GH cedis and the Ministry should therefore take immediate steps to renew these provisions. Mr William Adii, Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Union urged organized labour to get involved in the on-going Public sector pay reforms to ensure that the exercise does not only lead to a significant improvement in salaries of Public sector workers but would also address the widening gap in salaries.

He appealed to the Tripartite Committee to commence serious work on the proposed living wage as a way of reducing the inequalities in incomes in the country and bring in a decent wage regime.