Organised labour calls for amendment Labour Act 2003

Accra, Sept 10, GNA - The Ghana Employers' Association (GEA) and organised labour have called for a review and amendment to the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) to remove ambiguities in sections that are not in the interest of industrial peace.

Areas identified for amendment include sections of the law on unionization of workers, certification of trade unions as bargaining agents and termination of employment by employers. A statement signed on behalf of the social partners by Mr Mohammed Affum, Public Affairs Officer of the National Labour Commission (NLC), said these concerns emerged at the maiden forum the commission held in Accra with the social partners in labour, made up of Government, GEA and organised labour to share ideas on the challenges facing the commission and strategies on the way forward.

It said the forum afforded the social partners the opportunity to express their concerns about the performance on the commission and how they could collaborate with it to make the Labour Act work as an instrument for industrial peace and socio-economic growth. The statement said the forum expressed concern about the dwindling budgetary allocation to the commission since its establishment, which had resulted in its inability to recruit its full complement of staff and open offices in the regions.

This, the partners stated, had accounted for the pile up of cases as reflected in the fact that out of a total of 2,189 complaints received since 2005, only 638 had been settled leaving 1,551 pending. It said the recruitment of additional staff and opening of regional offices would reduce the load of complaints on the Accra office and hasten the settlement of complaints.

It said the Trades Union called on the commission to compel employers who refused to negotiate with trade unions, which had been certified by the Chief Labour Officer, to do so.

The Union said when employers behaved in manner that suggested that the rights of workers to unionize should be subject to the permission of the employer, it could lead to worker frustration and strikes. They called for the Labour Department to be equipped to undertake workplace inspection to ensure that the provisions of the Labour Act relating to conditions of work and protection of workers are enforced. The statement said Mr J.A. Aryitey, Chairman of Labour Commission urged government to pay more attention to its industrial relations management, especially in the areas of education and health. "Government must also see labour issues as almost security issues it must deal with adequately and promptly," the statement added. Representatives of the social partners at the forum were the Deputy Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Mr Kenwud Nuworsu, Chief Director of the Ministry, Mr E.A. Akuffo, Assistant Chief Labour Officer, Mrs Lydia Owusu Brafi, for Government; the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, Mr Kofi Asamoah, for organised labour and senior manager in charge of Industrial Relations and Administration, Mr J.K. Amoah represented the Ghana Employers' association. 10 Sept. 08