General News of Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Source: GNA

Collaboration with management promotes industrial peace - workers urged

Accra, July 29, GNA - The General Secretary of the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Union (GTPCWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Emmanuel Amstrong Mensah, has urged workers to collaborate with their managements to promote the industrial peace and harmony needed for increased productivity and national progress. He said it was only through collaboration between employers and employees that management could achieve set targets to bring about wealth creation for the benefit of organizations and the nation. Mr Mensah gave the advice on Tuesday when he inaugurated the newly elected divisional union executives of the Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Limited in Accra.

He observed that the provision of the new Labour Act called for genuine partnership between workers and management so as to develop and manage labour and industrial relations effectively. He said decent work involves opportunities that are productive and delivers a fair income, provides security and social protection. He, therefore, urged the management of MMT to interact with the workers to foster growth, development and increased productivity through the rendering of quality service to passengers.

They should also adopt the maintenance culture and conduct routine road inspections, ensure regular servicing and spare parts replacements to reduce the breakdown of buses all the time. He cautioned the union executives to avoid the temptation of causing industrial unrests which could be termed as "illegal strikes" but develop a plan to promote and protect the economic and social interest of the workers. Mr Ad Van Den Henvel, Technical Manager of MMT, expressed the hope that the co-operation between union members and the management would improve. He said management would continue to train workers to enhance their understanding to better interpret corporate decisions to workers for the good of the company. The following executives were elected for a four-year term of office: Mr Joseph Ahenkorah and Mr Ebenezer Kissi, Chairman and Vice respectively, Mr James Kweku Arthur, Secretary and Mr Alfred Allotey, Vice Secretary and Miss Millicent Ofori, Trustee.