The Health Services Workers’ Union said they have listened to the “cry of Ghanaians” to return to work to save lives
The leadership of the Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) has suspended its nationwide strike across the country.
It comes after an emergency council meeting on Friday with the leadership of the union’s professional association.
Addressing the media in Accra on Saturday (30 October), the general secretary of HSWU, Franklin Owusu Ansah, urged members of the union to resume work.
“You have demonstrated that wonderful things can be achieved with unity, teamwork, and collaboration, and they like to say, when spiders unite, they can entangle a lion, and for that matter, we are only as strong as united, and as weak as we are divided. So, the leadership wants to take the opportunity to thank all members for all that you have done.
“At an emergency NEC meeting, held yesterday [Friday] in the night with the leadership of Professional Association in the Health Services Workers’ Union, we decided to suspend the industrial action, not because of intimidation, but we have listened to the cry of Ghanaians,” he told the media.
Background
The Health Services Workers’ Union on Tuesday (26 October) began a nationwide strike because of what it describes as delayed negotiations for better conditions of service for union members.
The union says the many attempts to get the government to address its grievances have proven futile, resulting in the members’ decision to abandon post.
Downing tools
Addressing a news conference in Cape Coast on Monday (25 October), the regional industrial relations officer of the union, John Paateri Konibe, declared: “The Health Services Workers’ Union of the Central Region is serving the government notice that … from tomorrow, 26 October 2021, all HSW union members will lay down their tools.
“… As part of this, the union wishes to state that it is not our wish to cause industrial disharmony and disrupt smooth delivery of health service, but the continuous disregard by the government team to heed to our simple request has pushed us to the wall.”
He added: “We entreat members to stay resolute, fearless, focused and united until the union’s demands are met.”
The workers said the decision to embark on a strike springs from the failure on the part of the government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to improve their working conditions.
Fred Dzakpata
