Labour unions declare support for Zimbabwe labour strike

Accra, April 3, GNA - The Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Tuesday joined several labour groups in Africa to express solidarity with the two-day stay away declared by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for Tuesday and Wednesday.

A statement issued by the TUC in Accra noted that ZCTU had made several demands, including asking the government of Zimbabwe to take steps to address the economic meltdown and parties to the Tripartite Negotiating Forum should as a matter of urgency sign the Kadoma Declaration and the Prices and Incomes Stabilization Protocol. ZCTU said industry at the National Employment Council level should ensure that parties went back to the negotiating table.

It also asked for a review of current wages as they still fell far bellow the poverty data line and that the government should as a matter of urgency address the concerns of the striking doctors without victimizing them.

Other labour unions that have expressed solidarity with ZCTU include Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, Netherlands, Finland and Denmark. "As trade union centres representing millions of African and European workers, we are of the opinion that these demands are more than justified," the statement said.

"We have also noticed that the concerns were not addressed by 23rd February 2007."