Regional News of Friday, 18 April 2008

Source: GNA

Plurality of workplace labour unions undermines peace

Hohoe (V/R), April 18, GNA - Rights granted under the new Labour law for plurality of labour unions in the same workplaces undermine industrial peace and harmony, Mr Maxwell Akoto-Mireku, Volta Regional Secretary of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has said. Speaking at a workshop for District Councils of Labour in northern parts of the region in Hohoe on Thursday, Mr Akoto-Mireku said there was strength in unity and that the presence of splinter unions in the same organization could breed unhealthy rivalry and disintegration of the workers' front.

He said the creation of the Labour Commission to address grievances between workers and employers, as well as the harmonization of all labour laws into the new law were commendable.

Mr Franklin Agamah, Secretary of the Hohoe District Council of Labour, reiterated that annual leave was a right under the new labour law and that leave allowances which had been scrapped sometime ago had been restored under the law.

Mr William Asamoah, Chairman of the Volta Regional Local Government Workers' Union, who presided, urged workers to familiarize themselves with the new labour law and take advantage of it to secure better conditions of service.

The meeting elected a six-member Executive headed by Mr Agamah to steer the affairs of the Union for four-years.