Govt Playing Public Against Organized Labour - TUC official

Ho, Sept. 16, GNA - A labour unionist on Tuesday expressed indignation at government's attempts to play the general public against organised labour over labour's opposition to certain provisions of the National health Insurance Act.

Mr David Dorkenoo, Head of the Education Department of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said it was wrong to vilify the TUC and allied labour organisations when all they were doing was to ensure a health insurance scheme that would not jeopardise the interest of workers. Speaking at a meeting of the Ho District Labour Forum at Ho, he said government erred in rushing the Health Insurance Bill through Parliament.

Mr Dorkenoo, therefore, called on the President not to sign the Bill into law "but rather said it back to Parliament for further consideration and review". more

Mr Dorkenoo, who is also Principal of the Labour College, slammed government for not consulting enough and seeking to impose Value Added Tax (VAT) through the back door by its commodities tax to partly finance the scheme.

On deductions from workers social security contributions, Mr Dorkenoo said governments "interest in appropriating money from SSNIT is simply because the fund provides a ready and convenient source for funding the scheme".

Alhaji Idris Kumi, General Secretary of Judicial Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) expressed regret that many workers did not know enough about the scheme and how it was to be operated and called for education on the issue.

Apart from the TUC, other labour associations represented at the meeting were, Ghana National Association of Teachers, (GNAT), Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), Civil Servants Association, JUSAG and the GPRTU