Employers demand strict compliance to Labour Act

Accra, Oct. 27, GNA - The Ghana Employers' Association (GEA) on Thursday warned that it would not countenance any action by workers, government and even employers that ran contrary to the dictates of the Labour Act.

The Association, therefore, affirmed its readiness to support the National Labour Commission to achieve the objectives for which it had been set up by ensuring that procedures were followed. In a speech read for Dr Charles Mensa, President of the GEA, at the 45th Annual General Meeting, he said the greatest threat posed to a harmonious industrial relations practice would be the failure of stakeholders to follow procedures set out in the Labour Law to redress workplace industrial disputes, making workers to resort to illegal strikes to back demands.

Other concerns are the management of the potential proliferation of workplace unions, the determination of essential services at both the national and enterprise levels and the principle of matching remuneration with productivity.

"We are convinced that the Law as it is must drive our pursuit to attract desired investments and also promote a more friendly industrial atmosphere desired for higher productivity and economic development," he said in the speech read by Miss Joyce Aryee, Vice-President of GEA.

Dr Mensa said to enhance the understanding of the Law the Association had positioned itself with other resource persons to expose employers and their personnel to new ways of negotiations for conditions of service and also to increase the level of awareness of the Law among them.

On GEA's collaboration with organized labour, Dr Mensa lauded the existing cordial relationship between the two social partners, saying it had contributed to a high level of understanding, cooperation and respect.

"We believe that a solid partnership with labour is the surest means of achieving higher productivity and higher incomes," he said, and called on Labour to continue to cooperate to maintain and improve the peaceful industrial atmosphere necessary for economic development. Dr Mensah said the Association remained committed to the National Tripartite Committee, especially its new role under the Labour Act, and would continue to bring out the concerns of employers in the determination and formulation of effective labour policies to accelerate enterprise growth and development.

On capacity building, Dr Mensa said the Association had in collaboration with other agencies drawn up a strategic plan for an industrial attachment project to integrate work-based training experience into technical and vocational education.

The project seeks to formalize the three-year pilot industrial attachment training with students from tertiary institutions being placed in enterprises for a prescribed period to enable them to learn the practicals of the theories they had been taught.

Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister, asked employers and labour unions to desist from settling their industrial disputes in court. He said it was important to take advantage of disputes settlement mechanisms under the Labour Act to build confidence and ensure industrial harmony.

The AGM was on the theme: "Building Our Enterprises: The Catalyst for Economic Growth and Development."