Editorial: Crises Managers Wanted!

For the last couple of years the labour front has been very turbulent. The turbulence arises from the general economic situation that has made it unable for the country to support the demands of essential service providers like doctors and teachers.

The unfortunate thing about the impasse is that in spite of it being long-standing and the problems the same, we seem to have no clue as to how to address them.

Notwithstanding the obvious harsh effects of this stand-offs between government, the employer, and teachers as well as doctors and other health workers on the other side, no concrete action has been taken to put them to rest.

But does anybody care about the consequences of these stand-offs and strike actions? The Chronicle does not think so, for after all nobody has ever been held responsible for not managing the human resource of these two institutions in a manner that they would not be resorting to strike actions.

Listening to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor K. Frimpong-Boateng, and Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, appeal to junior doctors to return to the hospitals was very touching.

The only unfortunate part of it was what looked like a threat coming from the Korle-Bu CEO to the striking doctors, with reference to certification etc., while trying to let Ghanaians know what they had been up to on the concerns of the doctors.

From all indications, these categories of workers being Ghanaians do appreciate the economic problems confronting the country.

This however does not mean they ought to sacrifice to the detriment of their own lives.

While we appreciate the fact that the strike action of the doctors definitely has serious consequences, asking them to go back to work while their demands are still not satisfied may have fatal ramifications.

Gradually, more and more people are beginning to have the feeling that in the wake of all the national difficulties that call for sacrifice from all, managers of the state's resources are not being fair with the generators of the resources and those who keep the system running.

So far, it has become manifestly clear that the only reason members of the Teachers and Educational Worker Union (TEWU) and the striking doctors are out of their work places in spite of assurances is the loss of trust.

The striking junior doctors have made it clear that they have been 'fooled' on numerous occasions and have therefore lost confidence in the authorities at the health sector who are in charge of salaries.

This situation brings to light the relevance of dealing transparently with stakeholders and making promises only when they can be fulfilled.

As it is, the striking workers say they will only go back to work if and only if they receive what are due them. This is obviously a tough condition but who is to be blamed? Is it the striking workers who are fighting for what is legitimately due them or the government who is appealing to the moral conscience of the workers to return to work?

Ironically, the law-makers of the land, Parliamentarians, who can chip in a word for the resolution of these issues, are themselves fighting for their own rights!

While The Chronicle adds its voice to appeals from civil society groups to the striking workers to place the interest of the nation first and resume work, we also charge the government to be wary of how it deals with workers in the country, more especially as more strikes loom.