We Won't Endorse Any Party - TUC

The newly-elected Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress of Ghana, Brother Kwasi Adu Amankwaah has said that the Trade Union Congress will not endorse any political party in the December elections.

Speaking to The Independebnt in an exclusive interview at the TUC Headquarters last Monday, Brother Amankwaah talked on a wide range of issues including the challenges facing the labour movement and his dreams for a better Ghana.

According to him, what the leadership of the TUC will do is use its good offices to direct and encourage its membership to look critically at issues that the next government should deal with, leaving the ultimate choice to its membership.

"We shall certainly not vote for symbols and slogans but for core issues that affect our status as workers and citizens", he said.

In the 60s during the First Republic of Kwame Nkrumah, the TUC enjoyed close affiliation with the ruling Convention People's Party, but the movement showed its independence by speaking out, a famous event being a strike action in 1961 that was initiated from Takoradi.

In 1979, the TUC was one of the stakeholders in the Social Democratic Front and after some flirtation with the December 31 Revolution by some union leaders, the TUC of Ghana has maintained an independent non-partisan position since the return to constitutional rule in 1992.

The full text of the interview with the new Secretary-General, an old boy of two Catholic Schools, Opoku Ware and St. Augustine's College will be published next week.