PSWU launches 50th Anniversary

Accra, April 23, GNA - Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao, the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare on Thursday assured workers of government's commitment to dialoguing with stakeholders to implement the Single-spine Salary Structure.

In a speech read for him at the official launch of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) he urged the workers to build on their previous achievements in a bid to increase their productivity levels.

The anniversary, on the theme; "PSWU 50 years in the Service of Workers- The Way Forward" provided a platform and opportunity to reflect on the fortunes and the gains of the union. "Labour issues are crucial for the development of our country therefore it should be approached with the urgency they deserve to improve the quality of life of workers", he said. Mr Kofi Asamoah, the Secretary General of the Ghana TUC said the past two decades had been challenging for the Trade Union Movement in which members suffered poverty due to low wages while others worked under very poor conditions. Mr Asamoah said the union must be strengthened to influence and promote policies and decisions in their interest and resolutely defend workers right.

The TUC and other members of the trade union family, he said, were prepared to offer the needed leadership in the pursuit of the objectives and unionize the public sector workers to secure a decent and improved working and living condition, he said. The labour landscape and the world of work were changing and trade unions could no longer rely on the traditional collective bargaining process to sustain membership, "therefore you must strive to improve and strengthen the functioning of existing structures". Mr Abraham Tetteh-Diane Okine, General Secretary of the PSWU regretted the low salaries in the country, especially in the Public Sector, adding, "We cannot afford any excuse for non-implementation of the Single-spine Salary Structure this year, since that will demoralize the workers the more".

He said the union would work tirelessly with other unions and labour organizations in the country to promote unity in diversity in trade union movement.

Among the achievements of the union were the improvement in the working conditions of workers, social services schemes and consumer Co-operatives, Provident and Welfare Funds at the enterprise level. He said activities such as symposium, Clean up Exercise, Health Walk, Public Education, and Environment degradation awareness would be organized in all the ten regional capitals.

He lauded the pioneering patriots, both living and dead for their good judgment and selflessness for forming the union. Fraternal messages were sent by the National Unions of the Ghana TUC represented by the General Secretaries of National Unions, Africa Trade Union Unity, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Internal Revenue Services, Volta River Authority, National Commission of Civic Education and the Audit Service with a call on workers to show commitment toward higher productivity to increase national revenue.