Gov't Declares Health Workers Strike Unnecessary

Government says the threat by health workers to embark on a strike action if government does not meet their demands next week Thursday is unnecessary.

The heath workers notified the Ministry of Health, National Labour Commission and other concerned groups of their intentions in a letter on Thursday.

The health workers say they are tired of waiting for the appellate body set up by government to resolve their grievances, since they have had over six months to complete their task, instead of the originally agreed time frame of three months.

The group is demanding that by next Thursday, they have equal pay for equal work as a basis for their job evaluation and receive salary increases with retrospective effect from January 2006.

They also insist that the new salary structure be endorsed by the group before the deadline. The health workers say that their strike action will be legal, since according to them, they have given the required 7-days notice, under the labour law.

While admitting that there have been some delays in attending to the health workers' needs, Government's Spokesperson on Social Services, Mr Amponsah Bediako, blamed the health workers for the present predicaments facing them.

Meanwhile the health workers' group is expected to meet the National Labour Commission and the Ministry of Health on Friday.

The meeting is aimed at helping all parties concerned to resolve their differences and arrive at an amicable solution to the problems they face presently.

However, the National Labour Commission has called on the health workers' group to reconsider its decision to embark on a strike action next week.