Gov't extends hand of cooperation to Labour

Accra, Oct 24, GNA - Mr Yaw Barimah, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, on Thursday called for a healthy relationship between the Government and Labour in order to promote national development.

Speaking at an encounter with newly elected executives of five Labour Unions in Accra, Mr Barimah stressed the need for Labour and Government to cooperate since both were committed to improving the conditions of workers.

The Unions were the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWA); Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU); Mineworkers Union (MU); Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) and Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU).

Mr Barimah said workers should be treated well if the country was to attain that needed environment to attract investment, which the country needed so much in order to attain national development. The observed that not much attention had been given to labour issues and promised to run an open administration so that strikes and industrial unrests would be things of the past.

He charged Labour Unions to negotiate from the standpoint of "we have increased productivity so we demand a share of the windfall" rather than just demanding pay rise without the corresponding increase in productivity.

Mr Barimah said the Government would cherish the day that the economy would improve so much that workers' demands could be met, adding that when the Government was seen not to be responding to demands it would not be because it did not appreciate the situation but that the purse could not meet them.

He commended the unions for going through successful elections and said it showed that democracy was taking roots in the country. Mr Kojo Brimpong, First Vice Chairman of Trades Union Congress, said most strikes were sparked off by employers disregard for Labour Unions.

"When memos are written to some employers about pressing demands some of them throw them into the trash bin and this boils over into strike action. Much of the unrest on the industrial front would be curtailed if employers gave the due respect to workers," he said.