Railway workers threaten strike

The Ghana Railway Workers Union has expressed displeasure about the accumulation of salaries, SSNIT contributions, and warned that the situation will force them to lay down their tools.

The workers have since September 1 been hoisting red bands at the offices of the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL), and on all passenger trains in Accra.

The union stated that if by September 12, the financial support in arrears had not been released by the Ministry of Finance, there will be an indefinite withdrawal of all passenger trains services in Accra.

In a letter dated August 8, and signed by Godwill Ntarmah, the General Secretary, Chief of Staff, the Union stated: “We have arrived at this decision because we believe the Ministry of Finance is insensitive to the plight of Railway workers whose salaries are nothing to write home about. We have been very co-operative with the government and we think the situation cannot be the same forever while our workers continue to suffer.”

The letter, titled “NOTICE OF INTENTION TO WITHDRAW SERVICES”, mentioned a series of engagements with officials of the Ministries of Transport and Employment and Labour Relations in connection with the non-release of funds to the GRCL since January 2016.

The GRWU indicated that till date, the funds had not been released to enable the payment of July and August 2016 salaries as well as payment of accumulated SSNIT contributions, Tier 2 Pension contributions, Workers’ credit union contributions, union dues both TUC and Railway dues, in addition to other operational issues.

“The GRCL continues to be a fully owned state institution and the workers can no longer be taken for a ride by the Ministry of Finance. We still believe that upon receipt of this letter, the right thing will be done to ensure industrial peace,”.