Ho, Aug. 5, GNA - Chief Justice Georgina Wood, on Thursday called on
the National Labour Commission (NLC) to ensure that it takes
unquestionable decisions.
She said 93The more your decisions are questioned on appeal,
the more the Commission loses credibility and the more the industrial
relations climate becomes poisoned with lawlessness.
"The more your decisions are able to stand the test of time in
the Courts, the more credible and well positioned you become to deliver
your mandate of promoting law and order in the industrial relations
environment."
Chief Justice Wood said these at the opening session of a two
-day workshop on settlement of labour disputes, under the Labour Act
2003 Act 651, organized by the NLC for its social partners, government
officials, organized labour and employers in Ho.
She reminded the Commissioners that they were obliged to
ensure that 93your decisions are well-founded in law as well as industrial
relations practices to avoid being questioned."
Chief Justice Wood told the Commission that its ability to
deliver on its mandate would help to reduce the burden on the
traditional Courts to deliver 93justice to disputing parties on time."
She urged all social partners to support the NLC by respecting
its decisions, orders and directives in as much as they were consistent
with the law and procedure.
In a statement read on his behalf, the Minister for Labour and
Social Welfare, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah said the cordial relationship
between social partners and relevant labour market institutions has
ensured relative industrial peace in the country.
He said the sustenance of the peaceful industrial climate
required that 93we submit ourselves and adhere to the provisions of the in dispute settlement, enforcement of Commission's decisions, processes
of facilitation of negotiation of labour disputes and expectations of
Government. However, we are convinced that we are not in a popularity contest and so should only act by the oath we swore.".
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Cyril Necku (rtd)
observed that the workshop was timely in view of tension in the labour
front.
He said 93the relevance of the Labour Act as well as the role of
the Labour Commission has become critical when appropriate skills are
required to resolve unrest on the labour front, especially with the advent
of the implementation of the Single 96Spine Salary Structure."
The workshop would focus on mediation process, processes of
voluntary arbitration and compulsory arbitration, lessons and challengeslabour law, and respect institutions established to settle disputes whenever they occur."
The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Joseph Akom Aryitey said
the representation of Government, employers and organised labour on
the Commission has helped to avert any attempts at influencing its work.
He said that it gives the assurance 93that Commissioners will
