TUC accused of frustrating formation of organized labour structures

The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has accused the Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) of frustrating the conclusion of the process and the adoption of the draft of the committee to put in place proper organized labour structures.

GFL noted that instead of building proper structures to constitute Organized Labour, the TUC instead adopted a knee-jerk and ad hoc approach to dealing with labour issues.

“TUC is not the same as Organized Labour,” Mr. Abraham Koomson, the Secretary General of the GFL, told newsmen in Tema, stressing that the power of the TUC to legally represent all workers in Ghana was revoked with the amendment of the Industrial Relations Act (1960), Act 299.

Mr. Koomson added that the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) replaced the TUC with Organized Labour, adding that it did not mention the structure and organogram of Organized Labour, a lacuna that, the TUC had been taking advantage of.

This, the Federation said, would enable labour to legitimately exercise its mandate to holistically address the concerns of the rank and file.

“Organized Labour, which is a term (name) provided under the laws of Ghana, represents a body of recognized and independent labour unions, federations, and associations working in concert to pursue the common interest of working people in and of Ghana,” he explained.

He recalled that to cure this problem, GFL resorted to the High Court for some answers, adding, however, that the court advised that they go for a settlement, out of which TUC and GFL agreed on three things.

The terms of settlement dated April 25, 2010, indicated that TUC and GFL were to work together to get ‘a working definition of the term organized labour,’ ‘an organogram for decision making within organized labour,’ and ‘a timetable for the adoption by all labour unions of the working document and operationalizing the same.’

He indicated that following this, a nine-member committee with representatives of labour unions such as ICU, TUC, CLOGSAG, GFL, and others came out with a draft document on the three terms of the settlement agreement.

Mr. Koomson added that the committee also came up with the scope of organized labour cooperation and partnership, objectives, membership, governance structure, meetings, funding, and functions of leadership.

Meanwhile, the GFL, in a letter dated June 20, 2023, to the TUC, has called for the deliberations on the formalization of organized labour structures to be concluded soonest to precede effective collective action of labour.

This, the Federation said, would enable labour to legitimately exercise its mandate to holistically address the concerns of the rank and file.

Meanwhile, labour Unions will meet on July 17 to address concerns raised by GFL and other related labour issues.

Source: GNA

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