Members of the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) of TUC (Ghana) have served notice to protest what they describe as the unfair treatment being meted out to them.
The leadership said members would be, among other things, wearing red bands from 20th to the 22nd of October 2021 as part of their protest.
In a statement, they registered their displeasure to the lead of the Government negotiation team, Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), for the undue delay in the ongoing negotiations of their Conditions of Service.
“The Union was extremely hopeful of concluding the negotiations that has prolonged for over two (2) years when the FWSC convened an offsite meeting from the 8th to 9th October 2021, facilitated by the Ministry of Health (MOH). However, following the turn of events in the meetings, the Union’s optimistic hope that both parties were going to bring finality to this arduous process for members to start enjoying was quashed.
“The Collective Agreement since 2015 has not seen any proper implementation and to complicate matters, the negotiations for HSWU members has been long overdue after the other sister Union’s conditions of service have been concluded in the year 2019 and 2020 and are being implemented, whilst our members are working with them in the same facilities and lagging behind,” the statement said.
It added “Reviewing and comparing how Government treats our Sister Unions, the HSWU has a strong conviction that the Government is deliberately discriminating against our Union. Members are outraged and fed-up with this unfair treatment because urgent concerns and request from members are simply bundled under the carpet or lackadaisically addressed with plethora of excuses.
“With all these inexplicable complexities surrounding the ongoing negotiations, the leadership finds it unattainable to calm the nerves of members for a peaceful industrial atmosphere within the Health Sector because of the ongoing discrimination. The dragging of feet by the Government team towards the negotiations is causing a lot of agitations among members.
“For the above stated reasons, the NEC and leadership resolve that;From the time of this meeting, the Union gives the negotiating parties up to the 20th October 2021 to conclude the negotiations.
“Members would be wearing red bands from 20th to the 22nd of October 2021 to protest the unfair treatment being meted out to them. After the 22nd October, the Union cannot be held responsible for any industrial disharmony.
“We find it prudent to also state that the Union’s wish is not to disrupt the smooth delivery of health services and peaceful industrial atmosphere but the incessant disregard by the government team to heed to our simple request has pushed us to the wall. Government must as a matter of urgency convene and conclude the negotiations before the unexpected happens.
“We count on your cooperation in solving this pertinent problem soonest.”