Labour Consultant, Austin Gamey
Labour Dispute Resolution Expert and Consultant Austin Gamey has charged the National Labour Commission (NLC) to be proactive if they seek to prevent strike actions.
Although he believes it is part of their mandate to resolve strikes, he argues their priority is to prevent them in the first place by being proactive.
“The Labour Commission is doing what they should do, but everyone has their own style of working. And their work calls for proactivity. The law is very clear on their side and what they should do, but it was established to be proactive. I do know they are aware matters such as the UTAG strike can develop to this level, and I will be surprised if they say they didn’t know,” he posited.
Speaking on the strike action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), he reiterated, “I think that next time around, the question of being proactive must be taken seriously as this could’ve been prevented.”
To him, the UTAG strike is an industrial relations matter, and the NLC is the only body capable of helping them achieve an amicable solution at the end of the day. “The Commission has seized with the matter a year ago and has given directions for negotiations, and that must be regarded.”
Austin Gamey made this known in an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show aired on e.TV Ghana and Happy FM.
He applauded the NLC for their marvellous work so far but urged them to change their approach. “Their style differ. We may both go about the same situation differently and achieve the desired results but the consequences matter.”
“The Commission is also responsible for having their antenna up all the time, and although they are doing their best, one keyword they have to regard is proactiveness. I don’t know the extent to which they are being resourced, but they should be proactive,” he added.
UTAG members have embarked on strike action because the government has failed to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012.
However, the National Labour Commission has directed UTAG to call off its strike and appear before the Commission on Thursday, August 5, 2021.