THE flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has taken his campaign to the doorstep of the workers union with an assurance that a CPP government would repeal parts of the Labour Act, especially the aspects that allowed employers to sack employees without offering reasons.
He said that “best practices in business and management requires that reasons are given by both management and labour when a decision to terminate employment is made,” .
At a formal meeting with the Steering Committee of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Accra last Wednesday he said an Nduom government would ensure that there is industrial harmony for labour and employer to give of their best for the benefit of the nation.
To show his commitment to his promise he presented a copy of his proposed policy on labour to the TUC, which was received by Mr Kofi Asamoah, the acting Secretary General of the TUC.
The Steering Committee consist of all the 17 unions, heads of specialised departments and all executive committee members.
An Accra Fast Track Court recently ruled that the Labour Act, 2003 does not compel employers in Ghana to provide reasons when they terminate the employment of employees.
The court said since a contract of employment was not like that of servitude, the former could be “severed at anytime and for any reason or none”, subject only to the service of the appropriate notice.
Mrs Justice Irismay Brown, the judge, gave the ruling in the case in which the National Labour Commission (NLC) sought an order to compel Ghana Telecommunications Limited (GT) to make payments to its former employee in accordance with the commission’s orders.
The employee, Ms Afua Yeboah, lodged a complaint of unfair termination of appointment at the NLC when her employment as Corporate Communications and General Manager was terminated in February 2006.
Dr Nduom said a CPP government will implement an aggressive government policy to support Ghanaian industries to grow to compete with foreign imports.
This, he said, would enable local industries to provide sustainable jobs, living wages and salaries to the people as well as offer the nation the needed foreign exchange.
“The support will come in the form of low-interest, government loans and guarantees, technical support to ensure ability to achieve sustained growth, tax incentives and market advantages,” Dr Nduom added.
He said under his administration, the labour and the private sector would not be left alone to fend for themselves, because a CPP administration would take steps to maintain equity between investors and labour.
The CPP flag bearer said he would never allow government resources to be used to import fruit drinks, chocolate, electrical supplies, cloth, computer software, soap, when the private sector in the country is capable of producing these items.
He said it was unacceptable to import such products into the country, while equally quality ones were being produced in Ghana, promising that a CPP government would put in place “positive action to strengthen our Ghanaian industries for the benefit of the many young men and women looking for jobs that will pay them living wages and salaries”.
He expressed worry that although Ghanaian human resource was well recognised and valued throughout the world, the situation was rather different back home.
Dr Nduom said he would offer the Ghanaian human resource an advantage so that talented men and women would stay home and help develop the country.
“This, by necessity, requires that we treat our workers, consultants and experts with the same respect and give them the same wages, salaries and fees we pay to others,” Dr Nduom said.
He said being a Ghanaian should not mean a lower pay. A CPP government would correct this imbalance in the country as part of the moves to retain the best Ghanaian manpower.
“We understand the need for living wages and salaries on one hand, and profits on the other. We understand the need to match productivity with reward. We understand the need for social responsibility on all sides,” Dr Nduom said.
He said just as the CPP government in the First Republic believed in the policy of mixed economy, where the state, the private sector and joint ventures were encouraged to create enterprises to utilise domestic raw materials, the current CPP would not depart from that when it won power.
Mr Asamoah, who described the CPP as a “rejuvenated” party, commended Dr Nduom and his team for interacting with organised labour.
He said stated that the union’s doors were open to all political parties adding that as law abiding members of the union they were not declare their support to any particular political party.
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