Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - The Local Government Workers Union (LGWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, has expressed concerns about notices going round at the Upper East branch of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) requesting all Municipal and District Assemblies (MDA) to submit their staff list for the purposes of registering them as members.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Joe Boahen, General Secretary of the Union, said CLOGSAG as an Association was not part of the LGWU, and so could not make such request because the staff of the MDA included members of the LGWU.

“We strongly believe that CLOGSAG may be using the same method in other Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the country to recruit members for the Association,” it added.

It said any attempt to obtain the list of all staff members’ amounted to unfair labour practice Section 127(2) of Labour Law 2003, Act 651 and should be discouraged.

“Much as the 1992 Constitution guarantees freedom of association, we believe the exercise of such freedom is the prerogative decision of individuals and not by means of coercion, manipulation, deceit and clandestine methods by external forces to suit a particular agenda,” it noted.

The statement said the appropriate practice under the labour regime was for unions to engage workers in an open discussion to convince them into joining any particular union and not through unorthodox means such as CLOGSAG was seeking to employ.

It stated that it was inappropriate for workers Unions and Associations to adopt tactics that had the tendency of creating enmity among staff at the workplace, saying industrial harmony was crucial in Ghana's quest to enhance service delivery and productivity.

The statement, therefore called on all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Coordinating Directors not to entertain the request made by CLOGSAG in order not to bring any confusion in their jurisdictions.

It also urged members to remain focus, while maintaining and affirming their loyalty to the Union.

The statement announced that the union would hold its Quadrennial Delegates Conference in July, next year to evaluate its work and that it would be an opportunity for all members, both new and old to determine the course of the union in the coming years