body-container-line-1
01.11.2014 General News

Court orders public sector workers to return to work

By Myjoyonline
Court orders public sector workers to return to work
01.11.2014 LISTEN

A court in Accra has granted an ex parte application ordering public sector workers across the country to call off their strike and return to work immediately.

The court granted the application Friday afternoon.

Government has been trying to use court processes to compel striking public sector workers to call off their strike.

Twelve worker unions – Ghana Medical Association, Registered Nurses Association, Ghana National Association of Teachers, Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Coalition of Local Government Staff Association of Ghana, etc – called a strike last week in protest against government's decision to choose a trustee to manage their tier two pension contributions.

According to the workers, the National Pension Act requires them to choose who manages their Tier Two pension contribution of 5.5 per cent.

Government has insisted that funds are safe.
But the workers insist that government acted unilaterally in choosing a private company, the Pension Alliance Trust to manage the fund.

Government last week issued a writ at the High Court seeking a "Declaration that on a true and proper construction of Section 129 and 211 of the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), government is the employer of all public sector workers and is consequently entitled to appoint a trustee or trustees in relation to the Second Tier Pension Scheme."

In her writ, the Attorney-General (A-G), Mrs Marietta Brew Oppong-Appiah is seeking an alternative declaration that "upon on a true and proper construction of Section 129 and 211 of the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766), neither an employee nor a representative of such employee is by law entitled to sponsor an employee-sponsored scheme or a master trust scheme in relation to the Second Tier Pension."

But before that case is determined, an ex parte application was sent to court which has granted.

body-container-line