Private enterprises advised to support formation of labor unions

Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, on Friday asked operators of private enterprises to allow their workers to form labor unions, to seek their welfare.

The minister expressed worry that some private entrepreneurs restricted the formation of such unions by their employees, and observed that complaints and petitions received by the Western Regional Coordinating Council came from workers and ex-employees of small-scale firms.

He said the grievances involved non-payment or delay in the payment of entitlements such as salaries, end of service benefits and social security.

Mr. Aidoo made the call in a speech read on his behalf by Captain (Rtd) Anthony Cudjoe, the Chief Executive Officer of Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan, at a two-day training workshop on labor in Takoradi, which was on the theme: “managing the employment relationship”.

It was organized by the National Labor Commission (NLC) for operators and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry in the Western Region.

Mr. Aidoo said although the 1992 Constitution guarantees the right of workers to join unions, “some employers disallow their employees from forming or joining unions of their choice”.

The minister said he was optimistic that the workshop would deliberate more on labor Act 651 of 2003, to enable management and employees to comply with its tenets, to ensure cordial relationship between management and workers in the private sector.

Giving an overview of the labor Act 651 of 2003, Dr. Kofi Baku, a history lecturer and legal consultant, stressed the need for management and workers in the oil and gas industry to adhere strictly to the regulations binding the sector, to avert unforeseen circumstances.

He said the oil and gas industry was strategic for the nation and required that its staff understood and complied with labor laws in order to operate harmoniously, to enhance productivity for the growth of the economy.

Dr. Baku asked labor unions to go about their work devoid of hate and hostile languages and instead use laid down mechanisms to resolve disputes.

He, however, said that “dispute resolution starts from negotiations at the workplace and to avoid conflicts, local union leaders must apply the labor law and exhaust negotiations before submission for mediation.”**