The leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) would like to register its serious misgivings regarding some worrying happenings that have characterized the nation’s labour front with emphasis on the strike actions declared by the three teacher unions and government’s posture therefrom.
In as much as we are not and cannot take sides in this contentious matter, we would want to insist that all the concerned parties give due respect to our labour laws.
We are fully aware that before any labour union or body can embark on strike action, then that body is enjoined by our legal regime to have exhausted all internal mechanisms of seeking redress including holding thorough negotiations and dialogue with the employer. To what extent has government on one side, and the leadership of the various labour unions on the other respected this legal provision?
We are also aware that per the labour Act 2003. (Act 651), clause 165, subsection 1, no labour union is allowed to go on strike while negotiations are in process. Again, NUGS wants to know the extent to which this legal provision is enforced in the scheme of things?
In view of the foregoing, it doesn’t appear to NUGS that this country performs creditably well when it comes to the handling of labour issues. Here, we put the blame at doorstep of both government or employer and the workforce. A lot of us have no regard for due process and the culture of constructive engagements in labour jurisprudence. People are just not willing to make any reasonable sacrifices and compromises in the interest of the nation and in this case the ordinary Ghanaian student who is already overburdened.
We are simply losing our sense of patriotism. Government and the necessary stakeholders also appear to have lost control of the state of affairs and are only engaged in fire-fighting approaches rather than being proactive.
In the specific case of the teachers’ strike, it is very worrying to note that students are the ultimate brunt bearers who unduly suffer the consequences rather than the state officials or government who are the primary targets of such acts.
The damage that strike actions cause to students or guardians are often times irreparable; however, the teachers would almost always get what they were due eventually. How more unfair could that be to the ordinary student! It is for this and other reasons that government has to be very tactical and proactive in tackling labour concerns whilst we plead that labour unions should also use due process in demanding for what is due them. The feet dragging approach by both sides will not help matters.
The effects of strike actions on the economy are immeasurably legendary. In fact, there is a direct relationship between strike actions which always result in low productivity and economic stagnation because one has to produce in order to grow and sustain that growth. With the current state of Ghana’s economy which is characterized by severe crisis, the last thing that the economy should suffer is labour upheaval and strike actions for obvious reasons.
In conclusion, NUGS wishes to make a passionate plea to the striking teachers to consider the interest of the ordinary students of this country who undeservedly suffer the ordeal of their actions and accordingly go back to the classroom while at the same time, negotiating with the government and the necessary authorities to find amicable solutions to their concerns.
We are also appealing to the government to be very professional and proactive in meeting the demands of the nation’s workforce and give them what they are legitimately due in order to avoid the reoccurrences of strike actions every now and then. NUGS will further wish to hint that failure on the part of both parties to resolve this matter by Friday 7th November, 2014, it will take further actions in order to safeguard the future of the vulnerable Ghanaian student.
Thank you.
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