General News of Thursday, 29 April 2004

Source: GNA

TUC entreats all workers at May Day celebration

Tema, April 29, GNA - The Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Thursday called on all unionised workers in the country to participate fully in the May Day celebrations in order to achieve the desired results. Mr Harry Pieterson, Regional Secretary of the TUC, who was briefing newsmen at Tema on recent developments in the labour front concerning the Industrial and Commercial workers Union (ICU), said the May Day was not a struggle for the TUC alone but for all categories of workers. He, therefore, described as unfortunate a threat issued by the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) to boycott the celebrations for reasons best known to the union.

Mr Pieterson said however, that it was not too late for the ICU to rescind its decision to participate in the celebrations "because we look at labour in a broader context and want to preserve the unity of all unions".

He said the Day would be celebrated fully by all unionised workers including the recently formed Union of Industry Commerce and Finance (UNIGOF), an offshoot of the ICU and was registered as labour organisation.

"It is a national affair and we do not find anything wrong with the participation of the UNIGOF." The Regional Secretary said his outfit would hand over the awards due to the ICU to its leadership should it keep to its stand threat and boycott the celebrations.