Trades unionist salutes Ghanaian workers

Tema, May 2, GNA - Mr James Jimah Jebuni, General Secretary of National Union of Harbour Employees, on Saturday saluted Ghanaian workers for their contribution to national development. He pledged that the Union would work hard to improve upon the working conditions of its members, and advised all other workers to join any trades union of their choice to guarantee their labour rights. Mr. Jebuni, who was addressing harbour workers in Tema to mark this year's May Day, expressed worry that some employers deny workers the right to join trade unions of their choice and the employers use "every trick under the sun, including gun boat diplomacy, to coerce unions and block this freedom."

He said some employers arrogated to themselves the right to determine which union their employees join, contravening the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651). Mr. Jebuni said that trade unionism was not a taboo in Ghana, and workers must fight for their labour rights. He said "After all, in the history of mankind, no right was ever granted on a silver platter and that is why May Day is celebrated the world over to honour the martyrs of labour." Mr. Jebuni appealed to government to amend the Labour Act, to allow neutral people to compose the membership of the National Labour Commission.

He explained that "As the Act stands now, the Commission is a replica of the Tripartite Committee, and is not the best, because justice and the law should not be based on compromises, but on truth." Members of the Union carrying placards went on a float through the Tema Metropolis, after which they converged at the Twedaase Basic School to be addressed by the General Secretary. Inscriptions on some of the placards were: "Contract Labour is not good" "Is the Labour Law Working?" "We can't pay our Children's School Fees;" and "Conditions of a Contract Worker must be reviewed."