Health Services Workers Union: We Won’t Back Out Our Core Mandate

The Health Services Workers Union of TUC Ghana says it is committed to by means of collective bargaining continue to ensure that its members work under improved working conditions as well as improve the economic and social challenges of its members.

According to the Union over the period it has expressed the fundamental rights of its members in its organization in order to protect and promote interests of its members by collective action.

Brother Franklin Owusu Ansah, Deputy General Secretary of the Health Services Workers Union, said the Union has been the vehicle for increased employee participation in management decision-making, i.e. health a safety, pension schemes and industrial democracy within the health sector.

The Deputy General Secretary made these observations in the Western Region when he interacted with Professionals’ Groupings/Associations within the Union on emerging issues on the labour front and general welfare of members. This interaction is part of training tour the leadership of the Union is embarking to all the regions in the Country to familiarize themselves with members.

It is worthy to note that the present leadership of Union prioritizes communication and education of rank and file. To the leadership, effective communication is important for the development of any trade union organization worth is sort. Adding that communication enables the rank and file to ascertain for themselves what the union has been up to as well as empower members of the union with basic rights and responsibilities as employees and that of their employer.

Brother Owusu Ansah said unbeknown to many members of the Union, the Health Services Workers Union has over the years provided efficient leadership to its rank and file. Recognizing the potential space for synergy, leadership of the Union is committed to working together with the various leadership of the professional associations within the Union together to tackle the broader issues involving the conversions differences, placements, market premium, occupational health and safety among others challenges that confronts the Union.

The Deputy General Secretary of the HSWU updated participants to the meeting on the second tier of the three-tier pension scheme. He further charged them to frequently check up with the scheme administrator of the Health Sector Occupational Pension Scheme.

Commenting on the Mortuary Attendants recent industrial actions the DGS of HSWU said the Union has recently dragged the employer to the National Labour Commission over issues critical concerns to the mortuary attendants and others grades.

He said momentarily the Union in collaboration with the leadership of mortuary attendants’ group has succeeded in making the National Labour Commission compel the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to revise salary grading structure of the mortuary attendants. He noted that additionally the Ghana Health Service is presently seeking financial clearance for many of the casuals including the mortuary attends to mechanized.

Scores of the participants at the meeting took turns to ask questions as well as seek clarification of key issues relating to their work and the Union.