Tema , (Greater Accra) 21 Sept.,

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Maritime and Dockworkers Union (MDU) has expressed concern about the daily loss of real income of workers in the light of continuing depreciation of the cedi and rising cost of living. It has, therefore, called on the government to develop an incomes policy in close collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve a living wage for workers. This was contained in a resolution adopted at the 42nd session of the NEC following an extraordinary delegates conference of the MDU at Tema at the weekend. The resolution commended the Trades Union Congress (TUC ) for the bold and responsible position it took on the Pricewater House report which it said ''is a threat to the fundamental human right to collective bargaining''. The resolution also objected to tax on overtime earnings. The resolution noted that the current port reforms are part of a global process which tends to have a negative impact on employment, working conditions and other interests of dock workers and trade union rights. It demanded that, as a fundamental principle no port reforms including privatization be introduced and implemented without prior consultation and negotiation between the authorities and employers and the union. The resolution expressed concern about mass unemployment in the country which it said undermines job security, lowers the value of labour and induces mass poverty. It, therefore, called on government to promote job creation by encouraging agro-based industries to create a climate favourable for local industrial and agricultural production to absorb the millions of unemployed on the labour market. On the Volta Lake Transport Company (VLTC), the resolution noted that though its viability is currently largely dependent on the carriage of liquid petroleum product to the north, lack of political will and resistance by entrenched interests in the transport industry have colluded to render the operation of VLTC ineffective. ''We accordingly call on government to demonstrate the necessary political will to implement the policy of transportation of fuel from the south to the north by VLTC so as to justify the considerable investment made in the project and the rationale for it,'' it added.