Cpp Asks Govt to Stop Labour Casualisation

Prof Delle

The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Tuesday called on the Trades Union Congress-Ghana (TUC-Ghana) to immediately mobilise progress forces to confront the emerging workforce casualisation in the country.

Professor Edmund Delle, CPP Chairman and Leader said casualisation of labour was an affront to the rights of workers.

He called on the TUC, Ministry of Employment, and all labour groupings as well as political parties to join forces and fight for the interest of the Ghanaian workers.

Prof Delle explained that the process of shifting labour from a preponderance of full-time and permanent positions to casual and contract positions, reduces the entitlement and protection of workers.

He noted that labour casualisation was a covert attempt by employers to circumvent the costs associated with catering for employees' housing, medical, vacation, terminal and other benefits normally accorded to permanent or full-time employees.

Prof Delle said government could redress the problem of rampant casualisation of labour in the country through the provision of adequate low-interest loans to small business prospectors.

He recounted that in the 1960s during the reign of the first President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the TUC and the labour front enjoyed close affiliation with the CPP government.

"The CPP government saw in the workers movement a key transformational force for society and invested heavily and pursued a vigorous policy of industrialisation, job creation and education of the working class.

"The seven-year development plan and the corresponding Work and Happiness programme gave the working class and the TUC leadership a real stake in national development and policy formulation," Prof Delle said.

He noted that the special relationship between trade unions and the CPP government changed the industrial relations landscape from one dominated by animosity to one of cordiality, which impacted positively on working conditions.

"On this historic day, the CPP salute the Ghanaian worker whose condition continues to deteriorate, with poor housing scheme, poor working conditions and poor remuneration, Ghanaian workers deserve better," Prof Delle lamented. -GNA

Read Full Story