The Ghana Railway Workers Union has told Citi Business News it will soon hit the streets to press on government pay salary arrears owed to its workers.
The union declared a strike on Thursday after a meeting with the National Labour Commission (NLC),and the Ministry of Transport proved unproductive.
The union, last week threatened to embark on a strike on Monday, September 12, 2016 but was subpoenaed by the NLC to attend a meeting with the Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Transport.
According to union, the Ministry of Finance failed to turn up, hence no conclusion was reached.
Speaking to Citi Business News, the General Secretary of the Railway Workers Union, Godwill Ntarmah warned that the union will demonstrate if government fails to positively respond to the strike.
“This is the first phase, maybe in the next phase we will get out and go on the street, because we are determined this time to make sure we get our release,” he said.
He stated that all efforts aimed at getting government to release the funds have proved futile, hence the union’s decision to use every legitimate means available to demand for the money.
“So far we have stopped only the passenger trains. Still we are hauling manganese in the Western region, but the passenger trains in Accra; Accra to Nsawam, and Accra to Tema are the ones that we have halted,” he disclosed.
Railway workers announce strike
The union declared an indefinite strike after a meeting with National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Transport proved unproductive.
According to union, the absence of the Ministry of Finance at the meeting showed that government was not ready to address the issue since the ministry is the only organization that can release the funds.
“The Minister of Transport even though he didn’t come, he was represented by the Chief Director and two other officials. At the end of the day without the Finance Chief Director it was difficult to come to an appreciable agreement,” Mr. Ntarmah told Citi Business News earlier.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana