Social partners of labour needs Peer's review - Commission

Accra, April 6, GNA, The National Labour Commission on Thursday asked its social partners to complement the Commission's effort by subjecting their Peers to a review of their actions that were not consistent with the Labour Law as a way of promoting the rule of law and good governance on the labour scene.

Mr J. A Aryitey, Chairperson of the Commission, in a statement to mark one year of the establishment of the Commission, said the new Law with the innovations like pluralism in the formation of trade unions and employers' organisations, the rights and duties of both employers and employees and provisions relating to temporary, casual and part-time workers, must be embraced by all stakeholders to ensure the growth of industrial democracy.

The Commission expressed worry over the lack of commitment by some of the partners to subject themselves to the authority of the Labour Law by embarking on strike actions even when they were at the negotiation table over a labour disputes, saying "such acts have serious implications for the economy".

It said: "The spate of illegal strikes and illegal lock outs witnessed during the period is an ample testimony to the fact that some of the stakeholders have still not appreciated the paradigm shift in industrial relations."

Of concern to the Commission are reports of the persistent resistance by some employers to the formation of trade unions at their work places.

The statement said through intimidation some employers denied workers their fundamental human right to form or join trade unions of their choice to protect and defend their social and economic interests which were violations of the 1992 Constitution. The Commission said it was renewing its call as it entered its second year to its social partners to provide adequate resources to it to fulfil its mandate.

It recalled that all the social partners made commitment to a workable Labour Law during the debate, collaboration and negotiations and that gave birth to the Law. 6 April 06