Organised labour plans demonstration, strike action
Organised labour has called on all its members to plan and demonstrate in all the ten regions for an eventual strike action starting from Monday, November 18, after its leaders met and deliberated on emerging developments following the recent tariff increase by PURC and the findings of the Technical Working Group (TWG) formed by government.
A statement signed by representatives of TUC, GNAT, NAGRAT, POTAG, PAAG, ICU and JUSAG and copied to the GNA said it may be recalled that, following a meeting by the leadership of organised labour held on Tuesday, 8th October, a ten-day ultimatum was issued to the PURC and government to reduce tariffs or face the wrath of workers
It said following the ultimatum, government constituted a TWG to among others “examine mitigating measures that would allow industry and consumers to adjust to any new level of tariff adjustment”.
The statement said after a thorough examination of the TWG report, we have come to the conclusion that none of the scenarios presented addressed the concerns of organised labour.
It said the TWG’s best possible scenario which proposes 60 per cent increase in the end-user-tarriff for electricity implies an effective increase of 76 per cent as a result of the additional levies and charges.
The statement said we have no option than to call on all the working people of Ghana, their families and the good people of Ghana to express their dissatisfaction with the failure of government to reduce utility tariffs to affordable levels.
It said the following are the action we have planned to back our demand for the reduction of utility tariffs: on Monday, 18th November all workers in both the formal and informal sectors are requested to stay at home in protest against the astronomical increase in utility tariffs.
It said organised labour groups in all the 10 regions are requested to convene meetings to plan and stage demonstrations in all the regional capitals before 18th November.
The statement also requested all organised labour groups to convene emergency meetings as soon as possible to adopt the resolutions to back the planned nationwide industrial actions.
We call on all workers to participate fully in these actions in order to send a clear message to government that Ghana is not for the few politicians who are making decisions and choices on our behalf and we cannot tolerate such insensitive actions.
Source: GNA