TUC is at a critical watershed-Asamoah

Tema, Nov. 25, GNA-Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) observed on Wednesday that the Union was at its most defining moment since the birth of trade unionism in the country.

"The challenges of the global economy, unemployment, underemployment, low pay, job and income insecurity and poor working conditions point to this."

Mr. Asamoah was opening the First Strategic Planning Workshop by members of the Health Services Workers' Union (HSWU) in Tema. During the three days, participants would brainstorm on some key issues discussed at HSWU's last National Delegates' Conference in Kumasi,and ultimately adopt and harmonize them into a policy document. Mr. Asamoah said the TUC must not only reflect on its past experiences, but to also re-think its internal dynamics, processes, external relations and collaborations, in order to position itself to address those challenges.

He was of the view that Ghana's young democracy could not flourish if the economy failed to provide decent and productive employment opportunities to the youth. The labour movement, he said, was constantly faced with new challenges, and for that reason, organised labour must stand up to those challenges.

He asked the unions to collectively criticize authorities if policies did not benefit workers, especially those that led to unemployment, poverty, and violation of human and trade union rights. On the Single Spine Salary Structure, the TUC Secretary-General indicated that workers were warming up to its effective implementation in January, without fail.

"No excuses whatsoever shall be entertained on the implementation of the new salary structure in January 2010 from any quarters. We hope no one will give us cause to complain," Mr. Asamoah cautioned. Turning to the Three-Tier Pension Scheme, he said it was gratifying that with the passage of the New Pensions Law coupled with the establishment of the Pensions Regulatory Commission, its implementation now looked clearer and certain.

He hinted that a programme to aggressively sensitize workers and employers on the scheme, would soon be unfolded by stakeholders, and urged workers to get actively involved in it in order to get a better appreciation of the prospects and challenges of the Scheme.

Mr. Asamoah who used the occasion to launch HSWU's Bulletin, charged union leaders to bring on board all unorganized workers and pursue organizational development as they seek to strengthen the unions to operate professionally.

He commended HSWU for the effective role it played in the TUC, and reminded its leadership to consider mergers and alliances with other public sector unions, as means of pooling resources not only to meet global world challenges, but to also develop and sustain effective international relations within the trade union movement.

"Indeed, the greatest weapon we need to harness and give meaning to the era of globalization as a trade union, is international working class solidarity," the TUC Secretary-General observed. Mr. Richard Kwasi Yeboah, National Chairman of HSWU explained that the launch of the union's maiden bulletin, was in fulfillment of a declaration by the West African Health Sector Union Network that member unions published periodic newsletters, journals or bulletins. Mr. Yeboah hoped the bulletin would serve as an educational tool for the entire health sector workers and other stakeholders. Mr. Abu Dinbon Kuntulo, General-Secretary of the HSWU, said members were poised to achieve its vision of transforming the national union into a formidable one capable of providing effective and efficient leadership for members without any form of discrimination. 25 Nov 09