Accra, April 30, GNA - The General Agricultural Workers' Union (GAWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Thursday congratulated workers on May Day which falls on Friday. A statement signed by Mr. Kingsley Ofei-Nkansah, General-Secretary, GAWU, said the Day marked international solidarity for workers and trade unionists the world over.

It said the day also marked an opportune time for working people to celebrate their achievements, collectively raise issues and make relevant policy demands in furtherance of their rights. The statement said the celebration, which is under the theme: "Improving Standards of Living through Decent Work - A Prerequisite for Sustained Democratic Governance", was inevitably right since standard of living of the working people and their families and communities was directly or indirectly a reflection of the policy environment at all levels in the country.

The statement said the May Day celebration was significant to GAWU, as it coincided with its 50th anniversary of organizing agricultural workers for development, which would further afford the Union the opportunity to assess achievements, challenges and prospects. It reiterated GAWU's commitment to sustained democratic governance, decent work and improved living standards as necessary conditions. The statement said it was sad, however, that most farmers and agricultural workers in developing countries, including Ghana, were still wallowing in poverty as they earned incomes below the national minimum wage.

"It is important to emphasize that the increase in the national minimum wage is a significant factor in poverty reduction and yet a mere scratch on the surface of a systemic problem of poverty when majority of the vulnerable work in the informal sector."

It therefore enjoined government to strengthen the tripartite mechanism and make it more relevant to the rural informal economy. "In a related fashion, pro-poor policy measures such as the Livelihood Empowerment Programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the National Youth Employment Programme and the Housing Project in some parts of the country should be sustained to improve living standards." GAWU also enjoined government to ratify relevant international labour conventions with particular reference to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 184 on Occupational Safety and Health in Agriculture.