PMSU calls for amendment to law establishing SSNIT

The Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU) has called for the amendment of the law establishing the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to enable employees to use their contributions as collateral to access loan, especially for mortgage purposes.

The Union is questioning the benefit SSNIT contributors get if they are unable to use their contribution of over thirty years to secure a loan for personal use.

“If you are working in this country for 30 to 40 years and you cannot use your SSNIT contribution to enable you access loan to put up a house, then of what benefit is that scheme to you as a worker?” Director for Professional and Managerial Staff department, Samuel Larnyoh asked.

He was speaking at the 4th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the union coordinating council in Kumasi. Mr. Larnyoh said most companies do not have building loans in their collective agreement, thus, the need for the law to be amended to give opportunities to workers to own a house whilst still in active service.

PMSU also called for the amendment of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) to promote the resolution of conflicts between employers and unions.

“For instance, Section 79 of the Labour Act (Act 2003), where some employers think they have to sanction the unionization of their workers especially the senior staff before they could form or join unions of their choice”.

The General Secretary of Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Solomon Kotei, charged PMSU to objective in whatever it does. “The mandate of ICU is not just to attack the government but fight for the principles of why a union exists. The Union is the voice of civil society so they are to remain neutral and balance”.

He said although section 79 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) poses little challenge to them regarding the unionization of senior staff, it is also gratifying to note that the number of Professional and Managerial Staff Unions of ICU-Ghana has shot up to 54 in organizations across the length and breadth of the country.

The 2017 delegates’ conference was on the theme “Organizing the PMS, Growing the Union”