TUC backs strike by 12 unions

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has thrown its weight behind the ongoing strike by some public sector labour unions and associations against the government’s interference in the management of the second-tier pension scheme.

“We would like to assure all public sector workers and their unions involved in the ongoing strike that the TUC fully supports them in their legitimate struggle to secure the future of workers against the hardships and vulnerabilities associated with low and inadequate pension benefits and ensure that the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NAPRA) is allowed to regulate pensions without any interference from the government,” a statement signed and released by the Secretary General of the TUC, Mr Kofi Asamoah, said.

The lackadaisical attitude on the part of the government towards that important issue, it said, had been the main cause of the industrial action.

“From January 2015, a significant number of workers will qualify for lump payment under the second-tier. We would like to advise the government to allow all registered second-tier pension schemes for public sector workers to operate immediately without any form of interference,” it added.

It entreated all members of unions involved in the ongoing action to join the “struggle to ensure a successful action” and also urged all entities to, as a matter of urgency, register their employees in order to not jeopardise their future, as well as avoid any further industrial action.

Meanwhile, Victor Kwawukume reports that the effect of the indefinite strike declared by a number of labour unions last Wednesday has taken a negative toll on some institutions, especially public health institutions, schools and state agencies.

The strike, in its second day, witnessed a drastic reduction in operations at the outpatients departments (OPDs) of the Accra Psychiatric and the Ridge hospitals.

The Accra Psychiatric Hospital, which records very high attendance on Mondays and Thursdays, had a virtually empty OPD yesterday.

Moreover, the usual busy environment that characterised the everyday operations of the hospital was absent, with uniformed nurses spotted either idling or in small groups chatting.

Skeletal staff

The Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) of the hospital, Mr Nsiah Anyetei, told the Daily Graphic that the hospital had a skeletal staff operating.

He was fully supportive of the strike, adding that the government ought to do the right thing.

Patients have advised themselves

The absence of patients at the OPD, he observed, might also be because “the patients have advised themselves” in view of the announced indefinite strike.

But he was emphatic that a prolonged strike could have unimaginably dire consequences for the psychiatric hospital, given its specialist disposition.

At the Ridge Hospital, the medical superintendent and the administrator were both absent, but sources within the hospital administration told the Daily Graphic that the decision to embark on an indefinite strike had been communicated to the hospital authorities.

In view of that, a good number of unionised staff had withdrawn their services, leaving a few of them to carry out the activities of the hospital.

Human lives involved

Unlike other state institutions, a source at the Ridge Hospital said, a hospital could not just shut down with the declaration of a strike because human lives were involved.

“The union leaders who declared the action know this fact. If any of them or persons close to them should be involved in an emergency, what will they do?” it asked.

The Daily Graphic observed that the offices of the Family Planning, the DDNS and the clinical psychologist had all been closed.

At the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC), Legon, the Daily Graphic gathered that teachers were on strike but the students said they were celebrating the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) Week and, therefore, the full impact of the action was not being felt.

Real problem

“But if the action should continue to next week, that is where the real problem will be,” a third-year student, who gave his name only as Benjamin, said.

The Nii Sowah Din Cluster of Schools at Adjiringanor had its Primary Section locked up, while the Junior High School pupils were idling about at a time when the headteacher was said to be in a crisis meeting with some staff members.

At the Ministries, offices looked deserted and the usual busy atmosphere that prevailed there was absent.

While driving through town, the Daily Graphic observed that the usual traffic congestion that characterised the central business district and other areas in the national capital had reduced drastically.

Sekondi/Takoradi

From Sekondi/Takoradi, Moses Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu reports that a visit to some public institutions in the metropolis indicated that some doctors and nurses an teachers in various health and educational institutions were at post on day two of the strike by public sector workers.

At the Effia-Nkwantah, Takoradi, Kwesimintsim and Essikadu hospitals and other health facilities, doctors and nurses were at post.

However, at some of the hospitals, such as the regional hospital, there was nobody at the OPD. 

Enquiries at all government schools in the metropolis and other parts of the region indicated that only final-year students were in class.

Interestingly, some of the teachers and nurses told the Daily Graphic that even though they had been asked to join the strike, they did not really understand what the strike was about.

Wa

From Wa, Michael Quaye reports that some teachers in the Upper West Region joined the national strike on the second day of the nationwide labour action.

At many of the public basic and high schools in the region, many teachers stayed away, although a few others were fully at work.

Some students told the Daily Graphic that they were not sure which of their teachers would show up in school the next day following the unannounced absence of some of them.

At the otherwise bubbly Wa Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the premises were quiet, with only visitors and a handful of staff around when he Daily Graphic visited the facility after 1 p.m. yesterday.

It was a similarly situation at the regional directorate of the GES whose nearly 20 offices were closed, except for three of them.

With the Circuit Court in full session during the day, it did not seem the members of the Judicial Service had taken to the strike on the second day.

At the Upper West Regional Hospital, the staff remained at work all day.

Kumasi

From Kumasi, Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports that health workers joined the action on the second day.

The first day saw most hospitals attending to patients and offering full services to their clientele.

However, following a directive from the Forum for Health Sector Occupational Pension Scheme, at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital only a few health personnel attended to patients on admission.

Aside from attending to those already on admission, the hospital attended to only emergency cases and pregnant women who reported for delivery.

A visit by the Daily Graphic to the OPD of KATH revealed empty seats, with no staff on duty.

One patient who gave his name only as Baba said he had been at the OPD since morning and was told that the staff were on strike and as such he would not be attended to.

At the Kumasi Court Complex, it was business as usual as the courts were in full session. 

The staff said they were still waiting for directives from their leaders to also embark on the strike.

The story was mixed on the educational front. While some of the teachers in basic schools adhered to the strike, others were still working.

At the AME Zion Basic School at Asafo and the Adum Presbyterian School, not a single soul was found, while at the Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, teachers were in the classrooms teaching.