TUC’s approach is good!

INDUSTRIAL action embarked upon especially by government workers is one line of action that affects productivity and growth of a nation’s economy. All over the world workers have adopted this measure to press home their demand for one thing — better conditions of service.
BUT, do we have to blame them (workers) for toeing this line of action, particularly and now that governments are often reluctant to address the plight of workers? We on Today newspaper do not think that workers in general need to be blamed for resorting to strike actions.
HERE in Ghana, our governments have had their fair share of industrial actions by state workers. In fact some of these strikes have spanned over a one-year period. We recall somewhere in the year 1999/2000 when lecturers of public universities had to go on strike for a whole year before government attended to their needs. Why?
OBVIOUSLY, under the above scenario the bearer of such a brunt will surely be Ghana. Today is not by this canvassing that everything workers put on the table regarding their wellbeing must strictly be met by government. Absolutely not! Indeed, sometimes workers make very extravagant demands which comparing Ghana’s situation would be detrimental if our governments should go ahead and okay such demands.
IT is in this regard that we urge our governments to constantly be in touch with the workers representative – the Trade Union Congress (TUC) – to help avoid some of these unnecessary clashes between the former and the latter. To state bluntly, some of the industrial actions that have occurred in this nation could have been prevented. But as adamant as some of our governments were they allowed the workers to go ahead and hit the streets which in the long run affected us all.
ANOTHER approach that governments can adopt to curb strike actions is to engage the TUC in a meeting of trust anytime workers hint of embarking on strike actions. That way we will have very minimal industrial actions. In effect this will also help grow our nation’s economy.
IN FACT Today is happy that the TUC will soon begin fresh salary talks with government to try and ensure that the base rate of workers’ salaries is upped to an appreciable level. According to the Daily Graphic of Tuesday, April 26, 2011 the Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC, Dr. Yaw Baah, dropped the hint in Kumasi in the Ashanti region during an interaction with members of the Kumasi District Council of Labour.
TODAY further believes that the outcome of such proactive engagements when implemented would not only cushion workers but also help avert industrial actions.