Beware of unauthorized labour associations; LGWU warns

The leadership of the Local Government Workers’ Union (LGWU) has advised staff of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies not to take part in any purported biometric registration by any labour association or group.

“The LGWU, would like to state that, neither the union nor the Local Government Service (LGS) has authorized any institution to register workers of the MMDAs for biometric cards,” a statement signed Mr Joe Boahen, General Secretary of the Union, said on Tuesday.

It said the report of biometric registration for employees of the Assemblies was an attempt by some individuals or associations to lure unsuspecting workers to enroll as members of those unauthorized labour associations.

“What we would want employees of the Assemblies to take note of is that, if there is any policy to register people for biometric cards as union members, such important decision will be taken between the LGWU and the Local Government Service, and the information will be communicated to the workers of the assemblies when the time comes,” the statement noted.

It said the union was not against biometric registration to enhance its operations but would not countenance any move by some labour associations to hide behind national effort to promote biometric registration and attempt to register staff of the MMDAs, who are members of the LGWU.

“Over the years, the union has had cause to raise concerns about activities at the MMDAs by unauthorized labour associations, which has resulted in some employees of the Assemblies suffering double dues and other wrongful deductions thereby creating hardship for the affected staff,” the statement said.

It said the LGWU had been in dialogue with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to address the double deduction anomalies and would not entertain activities of any unauthorized labour association to compound the already existing problem.

The statement said the staff of the assemblies should note that the Instrument of Establishment of the Local Government Service, Act 656 of 2003 and the Commencement Instrument, 2009, LI 1961 makes the LGS a distinct Service, which extends to local government or MMDAs and Regional Coordinating Council workers.

The statement said the LGWU, in conjunction with the Local Government Service, had registered all workers of the MMDAs under the Second-Tier Pension under the name: “LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS OCCUPATIONAL PENSION SCHEME” with Provident Life Trust as the Corporate Trustee.

The LGWU also assured workers of the MMDAs that they would all benefit from the union’s educational and organizational programmes, aimed at keeping members abreast of all policy issues from the Local Government Service especially, those relating to better conditions of service, career progression among others.