Job creation high on agenda for ICU on May Day celebration

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), has made fresh appeals for government to address the high levels of unemployment in the country.

The union has also said it is dissatisfied with labour developments in the first quarter of 2017 as businesses still suffer from high cost of operations as well as high utility bills.

“It's been very unpleasant because employers are still wailing and crying as they have done in the last three quarters nothing has actually changed, electricity and water bills have actually gone higher than where they were,” the General Secretary of the ICU, Solomon Kotei said.

He added that government should increase its efforts at improving the salaries and incentives for workers.

“We haven't made any significant gains as far as wage increases are concerned hence we think the labour situations should improve at least after the first six months of this government.”

A recent study conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service has pegged Ghana's unemployment level at 11.9% as at 2015.

Meanwhile Mr. Kotei is anticipating the government would live up to its promises in the subsequent quarters with an improvement on the labour front.

“At the inauguration of the president we all heard him say loud and clear that he will deliver on every promise, so labor is interested in the prices of electricity and water coming down because what they are paying now even at a domestic level it has not been pleasant at all, so these are the things that we are looking at”

The ICU is also appealing for policies to allow labour negotiate for improved welfare packages with employers.

“Labour is saying it's not just job creation but jobs that are decent so we are talking about where the employee will get the right to negotiate his income in terms of what he is going to add to the business. We are talking about proper social protection where it is relevant to meet their future needs”.

This year's May Day celebration is on the theme, “Mobilizing for Ghana's Future through the creation of decent jobs.”

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By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana