The Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the northern region have cautioned government to tread cautiously on its intended action on public sector pay and other related issues to avoid industrial unrest this year. The workers say they have foreseen the mother of all strikes coming in the shortest possible time if government refuses to pay heed to their caution.
Northern regional chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Brother Elvis Mahama gave the caution at this year’s May Day celebration in Tamale.
Brother Elvis Mahama said while workers wish to have peaceful industrial atmosphere in the country, they will not compromised with government on its intention to put a moratorium on public sector pay increase for this year.
TUC northern regional chairman said workers and their families are going through a lot under the current economic hardships as results of increases in utility services and fuel prices.
Brother Elvis Mahama admitted that even though they has been some gains over the last four years in terms of salary increases for public sector workers, workers feels sad that their pay has become the target of increasing attacks from politicians who attribute everything that has gone wrong in Ghana to the single spine salary pay policy.
He mentions government’s inability to pay road and building contractors to high budget deficit and the situation in which the country economy is in today.
The greatest challenge Ghana has had to grapple with according to TUC is the inability of the economy to generate decent employment for the teeming youth including tens of thousands of young men and women who graduate from educational institutions every year. An estimated number of labour market entrants at 250, 000 every year.
Out of the number about 5000 or 2 percent manage to secure decent employment in the formal segment of the economy. TUC say the continued growing economy has only benefited a few Ghanaians and some foreigners who make huge profits and earn huge salaries in the enclaves that have been created with linearization of trade and investment.
The Northern Regional Secretary of Trade Union Congress, Ibrahim Adam Sollu has reiterated TUC’s position that Ghana’s economy is not in its best form.
He said the argument about the state of the economy whether it is facing challenges or not, organized labour still maintains that the economy is seriously weakening and failing.
The organized labour says its analysis may be harsh assessment of Ghana’s economy but that is their critical observations and views of TUC members and some Ghanaians.
The TUC’s regional secretary was addressing workers on this year’s May Day celebration at the Tamale Jubilee Park. Mr Ibrahim Adam Sollu said in spite of economic hardships workers are facing, northern region celebration is unique, because they have opportunity to celebrate the day with the new regional minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru.
TUC says, the current economic hardship does not need anyone to be a noble knowledgeable in economics to realize that terms are really hard and that it will serve no good for any government officials and communicators to continue in the state denial.
Responding to the workers concerns, the northern regional minister, Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru said Ghana is not in a hopeless situation as being painted by some Ghanaians.
He said government views labor as natural ally and the welfare of workers will always be a priority of the NDC government.
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