PSWU Women asked to be active in Trade Union activities

Wa, Sept. 6, GNA - Mr. Abraham Okine, General Secretary of the Public Services Workers Union, on Tuesday urged women employees to participate actively in Trades Union Activities because that would make them stronger and less vulnerable to sexual harassment at the workplace. Although women constituted about 30 per cent of the Union's membership, Mr. Okine said, records showed that they had been subordinated and marginalized to the extent that only few women involved themselves in such activities.

He was addressing the Regional conference of the Upper West Regional Women's committee of the Union at Wa.

The General Secretary mentioned physical contact, pinching, and the use of job-related threats or reward to solicit sexual favours, sexual comments, sexual advances and sexually suggestive gestures as some of the most common forms of harassment at the workplace. The regional women's committee, which comprises women from all branches of the PSWU in the region, reviewed its activities in the last four years and worked out plans of action for the coming years.

Mr. Okine said, "employment of women" section of the Labour Act, among others, gave recognition to women in night work and overtime by pregnant women and prohibition of assignment of pregnant women. Mr William Adii, Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Union advised the women to avoid jealousy, pettiness and other selfish tendencies and show that they were capable of managing their own affairs.

Miss Fati Seidu Tambro, Regional Secretary of the committee said the Committee had among its various activities, established a Day Care Centre and appealed to the National Executive Committee to complement their efforts by paying the allowances of the staff and support with feeding.

She said all the District Committees were making contributions towards the setting up of income - generating ventures. Sept. 06 05