At the regional celebration of the day at Elmina, Madam Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Central Regional Minister reassured Ghanaian workers that the government was committed to their welfare and was working around the clock to fulfil their long cherished motto of "work and happiness for a better Ghana".
This year's May Day Parade was held on the theme: "Improved Standard of Living through Decent Work - a Pre-requisite for Sustaining Democratic Governance."
Madam Benyiwa-Doe said one of the top policy priorities of government was to improve conditions of service of all workers and create more job avenues.
Consequently, it has put in place a committee of experts to review the Single Spine Salary Structure to ensure its smooth and sustainable implementation, she said.
She advised the workers not to be carried away by the funfair surrounding the celebration but soberly reflect on their past achievements and failures, critically access their present circumstances and contribute their quota to the holistic development of the nation. Madam Benyiwa-Doe applauded the current cooperation and consultations by organised labour and employers adding that the confrontational posture that characterized labour unions in their dealings with government or employers was now over.
This she noted was healthy in the face of the current global economic recession as it would require the cooperation and consultations of the two key players in "this crucial stage of the country's economic development".
She called on all workers to refer to the theme for the occasion and reflect on issues on child labour, sanitation, corruption and nepotism, environmental degradation, HIV/AIDS pandemic, gross insensitivity to the plight of workers and unnecessary bureaucracies and malingering at work places.
Mr Samuel Dugan, Acting Regional Secretary of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), said in an address read for the TUC Secretary General, Dr Kofi Asamoah that democracy would be meaningless if it was not able to provide improved living standards for the people. He called on the government to deliver on its campaign promises of job creation to eliminate poverty and also provide the labour department with adequate resources to enable it carry out its work.
Earlier the workers went on a procession through the principal streets of Elmina carrying placards some of which read; "workers cannot make ends meet," "New salary reforms, when?" "workers need decent retiring benefits" and "God bless Mr President".
In Bolgatanga, workers in the Upper East Region on Friday called on Government to Speed up the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure and the three tier pension scheme so as to boost up their working conditions and enhance their living standards after retirement.
Celebrating May Day in Bolgatanga on the theme; 'Improved standard of living through decent work - A pre-requisite for sustaining Democratic Governance', the workers said they hoped the Government would not postpone the implementation of the new salary structure because workers had waited too long to get a universal pay system that would address the persistent low salaries and at the same time streamline their earnings. The workers also asked that Government convene a meeting with
organized labour to finalize negotiations on the minimum wage to enable them survive the increasing cost of living.
They pledged to give of their best and work hard to improve the development of the country. "Building a better Ghana would depend very much on workers and we are aware of the role we can play to improve our country, we would not therefore relax but do our best to move the country forward", they said.
Mr. Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) in a speech read for him by Mr. Richard Asiume, out-going Regional Secretary, GTUC, urged the Government to work with organized labour to formulate a mutually beneficial pact between it and workers for the sustenance of the country's democracy and development. Mr. Asamoah noted that it was important for the government to take seriously the demands of decent work that cover, employment, worker's rights, social protection and social dialogue, because workers in the country did not enjoy reasonable ratings in many of these social indices and that could be bad for democracy.
"For democracy to be meaningful, it must deliver the dividends of livelihood. Where it repeatedly fails to deliver the public goods of decent work and improved living standards, the people can easily loose confidence in the political system, with all the dangers it forebodes". Speaking on employment, Mr. Asamoah appealed to the Government to take urgent steps to create decent jobs for the many unemployed in the society.
Mr. Mark Woyongo, Regional Minister, stated that the Government was aware that it needed human resources to build the country and was committed to improve the standard of living for workers by ensuring that they work and live in safe environment through appropriate legislations and worker orientation.
He assured workers that Government would not do anything that will alienate them and prevent them from giving of their best for the country, saying, "Government will champion the course of workers and place a high premium on them".
He regretted that the country had been ushered into unprecedented economic challenges that could derail the good plans that government had for the people and said the challenge called for a closer collaboration and mutual trust between Government and labour.
Mr. Woyongo urged workers to reflect on the challenges the World Credit Crunch might have on industrial harmony, peace and productivity and asked Government employers and workers to assess their respective roles to tide the storm of Global Economic crises.
He advised workers to reflect on the role they could play to contribute their quota to the development of their communities and improve their living standards instead of looking up to Government alone. Workers from various Unions received prizes for hard work.
Mr. Stephen Sumani Nayina, Northern Regional Minister has appealed to workers' Unions to map out strategies that could increase productivity to ensure sustained democratic governance.
He said there was the need for trade unions to remain united in their fronts to ensure peace, which was a prerequisite for national development.
Mr. Nayina was addressing workers in Yendi in the Yendi Municipality at the Northern Regional Celebration of this year's May Day activities. Large numbers of persons from the Civil Service, the private sector, workers' unions, voluntary organizations and personnel from the Zoom Lion Company thronged Yendi and took part in the celebrations, which was also used as a platform to make demands from the government through display of placards.
Mr. Nayina said the NDC government was a listening one and would do everything possible to address the concerns of workers and called on members of Trade Unions to work collectively in ensuring that industrial revolutions belonged to the past.
He said the government needed cool and calculated steps to get to its destination and stressed the need for unity, hard work and the sustenance of peace in the region for development.
Alhaji Ahmed Adam, acting Northern Regional Secretary of the TUC who read the secretary general's speech called on the government to complete the necessary consultations on the Single Spine Structure and implement it without delay to improve workers conditions.
Mr. Iddrisu Abudu, Northern Regional Chairman of the TUC said workers would give the new government the necessary cooperation and support to implement its programmes and appealed to government to quickly address workers concerns.
He said workers would continue to exert their strength to work harder to improve the economy and that what was needed was for government to compliment workers' efforts by improving on their working conditions so that they would not agitate.
In Koforidua, placard bearing workers of the Volta River Authority (VRA) taking part in this year's May Day parade called on the government to provide the Authority with a new board of directors as they shout on top of their voices when they got to the dais. About 2,000 workers from the various workers organization within the Trades Union Congress (TUC) took part in the Eastern Regional parade at the Koforidua Jackson's Park.
The workers, earlier, marched through the principal streets in the Koforidua Municipality before converging at the park, holding placards that voiced the concerns of their respective organizations and the general condition of service of workers in the country.
The General Secretary of the TUC's address was read by the Regional Secretary, Ms Francisca Borkor Bortey who called on the government to give serious considerations to the improvement of the working condition of Ghanaians.
The address reminded government that the promise of better conditions for workers during the electoral campaign that made Ghanaians to vote it to power.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo hinted that government was critically working on the single spine salary structure to rectify all anomalies before implementation to avert agitation from organized labour.
He disclosed that, government intends to automate and network all government ministries, departments and agencies to improve efficiency, reduce fraud and corruption as well as give the workers a much conducive environment to work.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo therefore called on organized labour to be patient and bear with government whiles it tries to do the right thing even in these hard times of economic crunch.
14 members of the TUC were given awards for their contribution to the development and growth of organized labour in the region
