Labour Consultant, Austin Gamey has urged the government to immediately resolve the prevailing labour issues between the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG).
He said the government would suffer dire consequences if it fails to unite the two parties since it would then need to satisfy the demands of each party separately.
The Trades Union Congress had announced that it will demand a neutrality allowance for its members if the government fulfils the demand by CLOGSAG.
Speaking on Top Story, Tuesday, Mr. Gamey noted that the current situation, bad as it is, is not unsurmountable.
“If I were to be in their shoes, I will find a way for the two sides to be united because they, government as an employer also would be the loser because they would have to satisfy here and satisfy the other part and the consequences are very offending to the other stakeholders in the country.
“The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations would have to find ways and means to unite the two giants together to have a good conversation and resolve their differences and get along, otherwise the nation would be the loser,” he stated.
Director of Research at the TUC, Kwabena Otoo earlier warned that its 36 institutions would in the interest of fairness also demand a neutrality allowance if CLOGSAG is given a neutrality allowance.
“It is important that those whose rights have been suspended who are being compensated with the neutrality allowance, we make it comprehensive and here I have a list. The Electoral Commission they are not supposed to do politics, our members ought to be compensated with neutrality allowance.
“The National Media Commission, the National Commission for Civic Education in fact I have a list of 36 such institutions in the public sector that are not members of CLOGSAG but are our members and in the interest of fairness this neutrality allowance ought to apply to them and we will make sure that it applies to them, that one you can take my word for it,” he said.
But in a press conference on Tuesday, CLOGSAG blamed the TUC for acting in bad faith by signing a declaration in March, 2020 on the blind side of other unions.
CLOGSAG for this reason has declared it will not join the TUC for this year’s May Day celebrations.
“The declaration was signed on the blind side of other unions. The TUC is throwing dust into the eyes of workers considering the period 2023 salary negotiations and that will be part of the 2023 budget statement. These consultations are untenable per the declaration that the TUC signed.
CLOGSAG regrets due to the recent unfortunate developments on the labour front, we are unable to collaborate with the TUC Ghana in the celebration of this year’s May Day. The Association would independently organize activities in all the 16 regions of the country in commemoration of this important landmark in the midst of worker’s trouble,” Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, Isaac Bampo-Addo announced.
Source: myjoyonline.com