Tema, April 2, GNA - The leadership of the National Union of Harbour Employees (NUHEM) has appealed to workers of Ghana Dock Labour Company (GDLC) to remain calm, as efforts are being made to solve the Collective Bargaining Certificate (CBC) problem. A statement issued by NUHEM and signed by its secretary, Mr James Jimah Jebuni, assured workers of GDLC that the verification to be undertaken at the company to determine the most representative trade union to be issued with a CBC, was on course. The statement explained that even though the leadership of the Maritime and Dockworkers Union failed to honour the pre-verification meeting called by the Chief Labour Officer (CLO) at the Labour Department in Accra on Friday, March 25, the verification was under serious consideration.

This is because of a directive by the CLO to, under the tenets of the Labour Act, 2003, Act 651 and Regulation 10 (1) of the Labour Regulations, 2007 (LI 1833), to conduct the verification. "The undue delay in undertaking the verification which has been and still remains a source of tension at the sea ports, should not lead to any stoppage of work, go-slow, or strike," the statement cautioned the workers. It advised workers of the company to remain calm but focused, and to go about their normal duties, 93as they wait for the opportunity to exercise their often-repeated demand for the inalienable rights to freedom of association, as guaranteed under the Constitution, and the International Labour Organisation Convention Number 87, which Ghana has ratified." 2 April 11