TEMA, Ghana, 1st October: The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has called on the government to strengthen its engagement and communication with organised labour to prevent disputes from escalating into industrial action.
According to him, the government must ensure that labour leaders are adequately briefed on issues affecting workers so they can, in turn, communicate clearly with their members.
He warned that when labour leaders are kept in the dark about delays in fulfilling government commitments, their members may begin to suspect that their leaders are compromising their interests or are “in bed with the government.”
His comments come after the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers’ Association of Ghana (PRETAG) declared a strike over a number of outstanding concerns.
Among the issues raised by the teacher unions are delays in the payment of the 20 percent Deprived Area Allowance and the failure to place promoted teachers who have qualified for higher grades on the government payroll.
The unions are also demanding the immediate placement of about 8,000 teachers who they say have successfully passed their promotion examinations but are yet to be placed on the payroll.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme on Thursday, October 1, Mr Koomson said better communication from the government could have helped prevent the strike.
He explained that if teachers had been adequately informed about the reasons for the delays in addressing their concerns, it could have reduced the pressure on their union leaders and prevented misunderstandings.
Mr Koomson said the absence of clear information could put labour leaders under significant pressure, with members potentially accusing them of colluding with the government.
He recalled an incident involving the Association of Local Unions (ALU) in Tema, where workers reportedly went to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) office to demand the removal of union leaders from office.
According to him, such situations can create serious tensions within the labour movement and potentially trigger major disputes in the sector.
Mr Koomson further suggested that the government could draw lessons from the approach adopted by former President Jerry John Rawlings, under which information on government commitments and challenges was communicated through the labour union structure from the leadership level down to the rank and file.
He said such a system ensured that workers were kept informed about developments and understood the reasons behind delays in fulfilling particular commitments, thereby reducing the likelihood of industrial action arising from a lack of information.
The GFL Secretary-General therefore urged the striking teacher unions to reconsider their position and call off the strike while negotiations continue.
He also appealed to the government to establish a more effective communication system with organised labour to ensure that information on government commitments, timelines and challenges reaches workers through their union structures.
Mr Koomson further suggested that, given the workload at the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, the government should consider appointing a Deputy Minister to support the ministry and help improve its engagement with organised labour.
