Over 20,000 Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) of Trade Union (Ghana) has given the government a one-week ultimatum to address challenges in their Market Premium otherwise, they will declare a strike.
According to the Union, some of the unresolved issues include selective implementation of Collective Agreement; payment of Market Premium based on their current monthly basic salary; Salary distortion under Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS); no increment credits, upgrade of three-level grades to four, and non-implementation of National Health Laboratory Policies.
HSWU is a Trade Union Organization within the Health Sector in Ghana. It is registered by Law and holds a collective Bargaining Certificate ( CBC) that empowers it to do negotiations and collective bargaining on behalf of its over 28,000 membership.
It has also been registered with the Registrar General’s Department and holds a Certificate to Commence Business and a Certificate of Incorporation (can sue and be sued). Its Headquarters is at Hall of Trade Unions, Accra. The Union is affiliated to TUC (Ghana) and some Global Unions.
Mr. Reynolds Ofosu Tenkorang, General Secretary of HSWU, addressing the media said their members were not happy with the discrimination being perpetrated against them despite their immense contribution towards improving quality health care delivery in the country.
He said in December 2015, the Ministry of health and its Agencies signed a Collective Agreement with the HSWU to take effect from January one, 2016 yet it has not been implemented fully to date, as some health institutions failed to implement or selectively implemented the Agreement.
He said that the recent industrial actions that occurred in the health sector could have been curbed if the government had implemented the Collective Agreement, which addresses the needs of health workers.
Source: Kofi Atakora
