Make copies of CBAs available to workers - Unionist.

Takoradi, Sept. 2 GNA - Mr. Ellis Ankomah, Western Regional Chairman of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) on Friday asked employers to make copies of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) available to their workers,. He said without the CBA many workers would be deprived of their basic rights, benefits and other privileges that could improve their working and living conditions.

Mr. Ankomah made the call at a day's workshop for members of the Sekondi and Takoradi Branches of the PSWU at Takoradi. He said the new labour law made it obligatory that "employers should furnish the worker with a copy of the worker's contract of employment". Mr. Ankomah said it was unfortunate that many workers did not know the contents of their CBAs and were therefore, unable to access the various benefits in them.

He appealed to workers to conscientiously, report for work regularly and punctually. Mr. Sammy Gharbin, Western Regional Industrial Relations Officer (WRIRO) said though the new labour law stated that workers must work under satisfactory, safe and healthy conditions many working conditions of several Government institutions were deplorable. "Most of the Regional and District offices of several subvented organisations are in deplorable state and also lacked stationery, furniture and continually relie on old office equipments" he added. Mr. Gharbin said the Government must act and resource such deprived institutions to enable the staff improve on their performances. He called on timber companies who employ and dismiss casual workers at will and within short periods, to change this negative attitude towards the Ghanaian worker.

Mr Gharbin expressed concern about the attitude of many employers in the timber industry who had adopted the "sack and hire" approach to business.

He explained that under the system, workers of these firms were employed as casuals and deliberately sacked after three months. Mr Gharbin said they were re-engaged on the same day, a situation that would not make them full time workers to earn benefits. 02 Sept.05