We are ready to lose our salaries or jobs – Lab scientists Association

The laboratory scientists said they will survive

National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS), Dennis Adu-Gyasi has said the Association is not perturbed by threats of the NLC to withdraw their salaries and terminate the appointment if they fail to call off their industrial action.

The National Labour Commission (NLC) threatened to sanction health personnel involved in the ongoing nationwide strike.

Describing the strike as illegal, NLC Executive Secretary, Mr Ofosu Asamoah revealed that the Commission will withdraw their salaries and terminate appointments if they fail to call off their industrial action.

But, in reaction to this threat, Dennis Adu-Gyasi, speaking to Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, expressed: “We don’t have a problem. Before people got employed where were they? Did they die? If people think that is an alternative they want to take, fine. I wouldn’t even expect the Ministry and employers to think that way.”

He believed that the NLC as an arbitrator should not be taking sides in this matter.

“We keep acting in a way and manner that keep intimidating others. It doesn’t give the presentation that if you come to the table, we are going to have harmony. The labour laws equally require that if you are doing an arbitration, you don’t come taking sides."

"This is because you end up infuriating. So, if that is the proposition from govt, at the end of the day people will survive and people are ready. People are angry. If that is what they want to do then they should sit up and rather get more doctors to do the lab job at least for the period they will sack people or not pay people.”

Several lab scientists nationwide have joined the Medical Laboratory Scientists at KATH to lay down their tools following Management’s failure to withdraw two clinical haematologists posted at the Laboratory department.

According to the National Labour Commission, it has not been served any notice by the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists regarding the strike action.