Labour Commission gets tough

The National Labour Commission has said it has served warning to the health workers to call off their strike or face the consequences.

The commission also said government must come out clear with its offer for the health workers as a means of finding concrete resolution to the impasse.

Joy News has learnt that the Labour Commission will meet on Wednesday to decide on the next definitive action on the situation which is crippling health care delivery in the country.

The health workers are on strike because of what they say are disparities in their salaries. The group said government's refusal to make public the report of the appellate body set up to address their concerns is an indication of bad faith.

The group also alleged that government has set up a committee to re-evaluate the concerns.

The Deputy Chairman of the Labour Commission, Mr Kwasi Danso-Acheampong told Joy News that the current situation can not continue.

“We made it clear to the Ministry of Health that they have a role to play to ensure the earlier resolution of this matter as an employer to be able to come out finally as to how much they can pay the workers and this would end it. We think that it's time government came out boldly to tell the workers how much of their demand they are prepared to meet,” he said.

Mr Danso-Acheampong said the NLC would be firm now and ask the government to address the issue as quickly as possible. He said the NLC's position would be made clear to government after the meeting and if government fails to comply with the rules it would advice itself.

“If they do not go by it then we can initiate legal action,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has not been undertaking new admissions because of the strike action. Hospital authorities say though the situation remains difficult nine days into the industrial action.