Calls for collaboration between labour organizations

Kumasi, May 01, GNA - Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the Ashanti Regional Minister, on Monday called for collaboration between competing labour organizations that have evolved due to the passing of the new Labour Law.

He said peaceful industrial atmosphere was sine qua non for increased productivity and improved remuneration.

Mr Boafo, who was addressing a May Day parade, said the government would continue its policy of open administration and broad consultation with the National Labour Commission and National Tripartite Committee.

"Presently, the threats of strikes and other upheavals can destabilize our peaceful and attractive industrial climate which is attracting foreign investment in leaps and bounds", the Regional Minister said.

"The whole world is acknowledging the good work we are doing and we must however agree that we need cool and calculated steps to get to our destination. We should not rush or else we tumble over", he said. Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankwaah, the Secretary-General of Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), said in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Robert Atong Asekabta, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the TUC, that the government should consider the plight of workers when choosing economic policies.

He said, "It is only when various stakeholders are involved that we can all take the responsibility for success and failure of such programmes and policies.''

Mr Adu-Amankwaah said the challenges of under employment and low incomes continued to threaten the survival of millions of workers who eke out a living in the informal economy.

Even in the public sector, he said, despite the recent increases in salaries in both real and nominal terms, a significant number of public sector workers still earn wages that are below the internationally-recognised US two dollars a day.

The Secretary-General stressed the need for the government to do everything to facilitate the determination of the living wage process to ensure that the living wage that all workers are looking forward to is determined by the end of the year.

Workers who gathered at the parade held placards that read; "Gold Coast Come and Save Ghana", "20 per cent increase totally unacceptable", "Take Home Pay Should Take Us Home", "Too Many Promises, Action Now", and "Ghanaians Live By Magic".

Some workers who performed creditably within the year were honoured with ghetto blusters.