Ghana Mineworkers’ Union has asked government through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to as a matter of urgency take steps to initiate and tighten legislation on contract employment in the country in order to eradicate the continuous abuse of workers.
The Union is also asking government to take steps to strengthen the capacity of the Labour Department by employing more labour inspectors and equipping them with the appropriate logistics to effectively perform their mandate in line with the Labour Act 651.
The demands follows the impasse between contract workers of Ghana Bauxite Company and their management which resulted in the destruction of the company’s properties.
A statement signed and issued by the Deputy General Secretary of Mineworkers’ Union, Abdul-Moomin Gbana and copied to the gbcghanaonline.com on Thursday, June 20, 2019, said; “as a country committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly Goal 8 on Decent Work for which reason the current Government set up a SDG Desk, we believe that efforts must be intensified and indeed, immediate steps taken to forestall the continuous exploitation of Ghanaian workers amidst Government’s effort to curb rising unemployment in the country.”
“Whilst we do not condone the actions of these contract workers, we sympathize with their plight as working people and consequently call on all feuding parties to ceasefire whiles immediate steps are taken to resume negotiations.” The statement said.
The statement which was signed for the General Secretary of the Union, is therefore appealing to its members (the mainstream workers of Ghana Bauxite Company) to stay safe and avoid any tendencies that have the potential to further escalate tensions.
Read Below Details Of The Statement:
Press Release
The attention of the Ghana Mineworkers’ Union has been drawn to an on-going impasse between employees of some contract firms working for Ghana Bauxite Company and their host, Ghana Bauxite Company Limited, over poor working conditions, therefore threatening the safety and security of other workers and causing destruction to property.
We are aware that a couple of months ago these contract employees who are members of the Construction Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress (Ghana) entered into salary negotiations with these contract firms following incessant calls and several complaints about their poor working conditions. These negotiations we are told have progressed quite smoothly until the unfortunate development on Monday June 18, 2019.
Whilst we are not privy to the full details surrounding the impasse, we are certainly not oblivious of the precarious conditions most contract workers in Ghana find themselves. Indeed, in most cases, these contract workers are paid very low wages (sometimes below the National Minimum Wage), faced with insecurity of their jobs, they work long hours, they are often denied pension contributions, and mostly compelled to work under very bizarre physical conditions.
Sadly, the fast-increasing rate of contract work in Ghana and its consequences is not only affecting incomes and pensions at the personal level; this phenomenon regrettably also has the potential to impact negatively on our already ailing economy both on the short and long run.
Disappointingly, this worrying trend is being exacerbated by the almost lack of labour inspection at the workplace due to the few number of labour inspectors coupled with the absence of logistics to enable them carry out their mandate in line with Part 16 of Labour Act 2003, Act 651.
As a country committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly Goal 8 on Decent Work for which reason the current Government set up a SDG Desk, we believe that efforts must be intensified and indeed, immediate steps taken to forestall the continuous exploitation of Ghanaian workers amidst Government’s effort to curb rising unemployment in the country.
To this end, we call on the Government through the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to as a matter of urgency:
Take steps to initiate and tighten legislation on contract employment in the country in order to eradicate the continuous abuse of workers through these emerging forms of employment.
Take steps to strengthen the capacity of the Labour Department by employing more labour inspectors and equipping them with the appropriate logistics to effectively perform their mandate in line with the Labour Act 651.
In conclusion, whilst we do not condone the actions of these contract workers, we sympathize with their plight as working people and consequently call on all feuding parties to ceasefire whiles immediate steps are taken to resume negotiations.
We also want to appeal to our members (the mainstream workers of Ghana Bauxite Company) to stay safe and avoid any tendencies that have the potential to further escalate tensions.
Thank you
ABDUL-MOOMIN GBANA, DEPUTY GENERAL SECRETARY.
For: GENERAL SECRETARY, GHANA MINEWORKERS’ UNION.
