Tema Regional Branch Of United Cadres’ Front React To Ghana Medical Association Threat Of Mass Resignation

The Tema Regional branch of the United Cadres’ Front (UCF) wish to state our displeasure at the attitude of the Ghana Medical Association’s (GMA) threat of resigning en-mass if their demands for improved conditions of service is not adhered to. As a precursor to its threat they have withdrawn service to incoming patients and giving an ultimatum of six weeks by which time they will carry out in full – the THREAT of all-member resignation if their proposals are not met.

We see the action as very unconventional and despicable because in Labour-Government relations it is very well captured that negotiations cannot be done in an environment of DURESS. As such we see the current action by the GMA not only being UNFORTUNATE but very WICKED/INTIMIDATING as well.

It is only in this country that a professional grouping who already has an agreed working conditions and seeks to improve upon them – will go that distant mileage by making the outrageous demands as has been made public now. Calculating what has been put out there by the GMA – what it means is that in grand total GhC76,645.41, is what a medical doctor will be taking at the end of every month.

We see this as outrageously insulting to the government and people of Mother-Ghana and their bluff must be called to order. And for goodness sake – what does a medical doctor need 90 gallons of fuel for in month? They should justify that demand.

It is accepted that they constitute an essential professional element of the economy. However, they are just a part of it and for that reason not solely responsible for the economic stability of Ghana.

The government is hereby urged to consider the action by the GMA as a second ‘Labour Coup d’etat’ after the 12 labour unions embarked on a similar exercise some time back. It must not be encouraged but resisted “at-all-cost”.

Even though we condemn the action by the GMA due to the UNACHIEVABLE demand, we still feel that engaging them in an atmosphere of effective dialoging is the way out and we urge both parties just to do that. The GMA has alleged that they were not getting feed-back from government which has led to the action.

We want to believe the allegation is not true – but if it is, then we condemn government for its lack of pro-activism. The Tema Regional branch of the UCF, per this communication wish to condemn such lackadaisical attitude coming from STATUTORY INSTITUTIONS which inactions normally lead to such disturbing labour developments.

It is our hope that the government will begin to sanction Civil/Public officers who, sometimes, consciously act negatively to create these tensions for government and labour. The Fare Wages and Salaries Commission ought to be on top of its mandate and must always be pro-active to forestall industrial disharmony.

As well, the Labour Commission must also be seen to be working and it must, via the media, let the public know how they are handling labour issues instead of waiting for labour unrests to erupt before telling us “THE STRIKE IS ILLEGAL”. The Commission has never told us one single strike that has been ‘LEGAL’.

As for the GMA’s action, we beg to state, and EMPHATICALLY so, that it is VERY-VERY ILLIGAL and the doctors must be ordered to go to the consulting rooms for negotiations to continue. But then we wish to caution government that it may have to consider bringing all the Allied Health Professions that constitute the health delivery system to the negotiating table to consider their conditions of service.

This suggestion must be taken seriously because medical doctors cannot work without the Health Laboratory Technologist/Technician. They cannot work without the Medical X-Ray Technologist, Technician and the Radiologist who constitute that department of the medical profession. They cannot work without the NURSE.

We of the Tema Regional branch of the UCF have a genuine fear if the government attends to the GMA’s demands in isolation of the others – they will follow suite with theirs and it will be a marathon of crises, we caution. Bring them aboard and determine a reasonable timeline to sort all of them out at once.

It is our clarion call to individuals, institutions who matter and religious bodies to condemn the action of the Ghana Medical Association, that it is illegal and unwarranted. And if pleas from the public will not make them rescind the GMA executive body’s decision to go on their mass resignation – state protection must be given to members who will not go along with their order.

We rest our case by stating that Mother-Ghana must not be short-changed by the Ghana Medical Association or any such bodies.

Signed
For: Chairman
Comrade Oliver Agbanyo Regional Organizer
Contact: 0244962200