The Ministry of Roads and Highways has been accused of allegedly instigating the Directorate of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to mete out what labour movements classify as injustices to hundreds of GHA workers.
Information available to The Public Agenda indicates that almost 200 workers of GHA have already suffered �massive� illegitimate transfers, demotions and re-assignments in violation of �statutory due processes and conventions.�
According to labour movement leaders, the numbers could rise astronomically as the GHA continues its actions with the full backing of the sector Ministry. The development is said to have commenced at the turn of the year when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) took office.
Public Agenda unearthed this disturbing piece of information during the observance of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the Building and Construction industry last Thursday. The event, organised in Accra by the Construction & Building Materials Workers Union (CBMWU), was under the theme Enhancing and expanding the Decent Work Agenda to all building and construction activities everywhere in the next fifty years.
Meanwhile, the CBMWU of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has served notice that �We have, indeed, been provoked by these unilateral actions.�
The Union has therefore demanded, �as a matter of urgency�, a meeting comprising the key stakeholders, the Minister of Roads and Highways, the Directorate of GHA, the Union and the Senior Staff Association �to find an early settlement to the unacceptable developments taking place at the Ghana Highways Authority.�
Addressing patrons at a ceremony to mark the day, Mr Pius Quainoo, General Secretary of the CBMWU, said �Of recent, the workers of Ghana Highways Authority have been visited with massive transfer within and without of the organisation, demotions and re-assignments of all levels of employees that are arbitrary and unacceptable developments.�
According to him, �These developments, dictated by the Ministry of Roads and Highways and executed by the Directorate of the Authority, have abandoned the well-known and tested best practices in human resource management within the Authority and left in their trail the infringement of various laws, bargained agreements and conditions of services��
The General Secretary pointed out that the Union has negotiated provisions of transfers into collective bargaining agreements and conditions of service for the Authority. In addition, the Union has provided for avenues and mechanisms for resolving grievances and disputes within the ambit of the collective bargaining agreement, conciliation, arbitration and adjudication processes.
Therefore, the Union will not be the first to entertain �actions that are against the spirit of such agreements� neither will it be �a transmission belt or platform� for communicating managerial decisions already determined without its anticipation and involvement of its members.
Mr. Quainoo described the action of the GHA as �an arrogant abuse of power� that could stifle cooperation between the employer and the workers represented by the Union and the Senior Staff Association.
Mr Seth Abloso, Acting Head of Organizational Development, GTUC, has said that �The State should be the last violator of workers� rights, so we are disturbed to hear what is going on at the Ghana Highway Authority.�
He wondered how the State could insist on the protection of workers� rights in the private sector if a State institution is perpetrating such injustices.
In the light of this, he called for the ratification of the Internal labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 158 which enjoins employers to give reasons for the termination of an employee�s appointment. He noted that �unfair dismissal of workers is a threat to collective bargaining.�
There were no reactions from the Ministry of Roads and Highways which failed to turn up despite receiving an invitation. However, Hon. Alhaji Saani Iddi, Deputy Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, pledged that the concerns of the Union would be forwarded to the appropriate quarters for action. He assured, �We are not playing down on issues that have come up.�
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