[ 2016-09-15 ]

Railway workers halt Accra trains, declare strike
The Ghana Railway Workers Union has declared an
indefinite strike after a meeting with National
Labour Commission(NLC) and the Ministry of
Transport proved unproductive.

The union, last week threatened to embark on a
strike on Monday, September 12, 2016 but was
subpoenaed by the NLC to attend a meeting with the
Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Transport.

According to union, the Ministry of Finance failed
to turn up, hence the deliberation was
inconclusive.

The workers have demanded for salary arrears for
two months, as well as SSNIT contributions.

Speaking to Citi Business News, the General
Secretary of the Railway Workers Union, Godwill
Ntarmah said that the meeting could not reach an
understanding due to the absence of the Finance
Ministry.

According to him, the absence of the Ministry of
Finance showed that government was not ready to
address the issue since the Finance Ministry is
the only organization that can release the funds.

“The Minister of Transport even though he
didn’t come, he was represented by the Chief
Director and two other officials. At the end of
the day without the Finance Chief Director it was
difficult to come to an appreciable agreement,”
he said.

He pointed out that until the union receives the
funds it will not call off the strike since the
Ministry of Finance has not attached seriousness
to the issue.

“We have stopped the trains, demanding our
release. If the release does not come, we are
stopping the trains as long as the money is not
coming. We have already engaged the Ministry of
Transport. It all boils down to the Ministry of
Finance,” he said.

Touching on how railway workers have been
neglected, Mr. Ntarmah stated that the sector is
always treated with disdain.

“We are government workers. We are also
Ghanaians. We are determined to get our money. We
are workers of the state. We cannot be treated
anyhow,” he warned.

Debunking the notion that the strike will have no
effect, Mr. Ntarmah stated that market women will
be hit the hardest by the strike since they
patronize the trains.

“This company is for the State, it is sad when
people say the strike will have no effect. But let
me tell you one thing. If you are here and you see
how the train is patronize in the morning and in
the evening you will revise that view. Let’s all
wait and see the impact,” he said.

Source - citibsinessnews.com

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