NLC directs Medical Laboratory workers to call off strike
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) to end their strike and return to the negotiation table with the government.
This directive follows an emergency meeting held on Thursday, June 20 involving representatives from MELPWU, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Finance Ministry, and the Health Ministry, aimed at resolving the ongoing dispute.
The MELPWU initiated their strike on June 17, citing the government’s delay in addressing their conditions of service. The industrial action has significantly impacted public health services, leaving patients stranded and forcing many to seek more expensive laboratory services at private facilities.
Labor consultant, Austin Gamey expressed optimism about the negotiations’ potential outcome, noting that the Commission has mandated continuous meetings until Wednesday, with specific directives for parties to attend with full mandates.
“The Commission says we should be meeting between now [Thursday] and Wednesday, and they made potent directives that the parties should meet with mandates not just coming to meetings… and we believe the Commission’s directive is potent enough to find a solution,” Gamey stated.
He added that he expects the lab workers to resume duties by Monday following productive negotiations.
However, MELPWU’s General Secretary, Cephas Akortor, expressed disappointment with the Commission’s decision.
“We are not very happy because our expectations were not met, but all the same, we are all Ghanaians and would take the advice of the Commission,” he said.
Mr Akortor emphasised that the strike remains in effect until the National Executive Council makes a final decision.
“We will have engagement with our members, but for now, we cannot say the strike is suspended. It is still ongoing until the determination of the National Executive Council,” he stated.
Mr Akortor also appealed to the public for understanding during this challenging period, acknowledging the dissatisfaction among lab workers regarding the ongoing situation.
As Reported by Myjoyonline.com
June 7 Update
The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) spokesperson, Victor Obeng Ofori, has stated that the strike will continue until the government addresses their grievances.
In a statement by MELPWU on June 7, the union expressed concern over the prolonged delay in concluding negotiations and the lack of financial clearance for non-mechanized members.
The union argued that, such actions undermine the labour-management relationship and necessitate decisive action.
In an interview with Adom News, Mr Obeng said government has been unfair and unresponsive to their demands, despite being notified two weeks ago.
According to him, had the government been serious about resolving these issues, it would have intervened earlier, preventing the current crisis.
“We believe the government has not been fair to us. If they listen to us and agree to our conditions, we will call off the strike today,” he said.
Mr Obeng noted that the Ministry of Health has been aware of these issues from the start, yet it appears as if they are unaware of the ongoing situation.
He expressed his confusion at their apparent lack of action.
“To us, we believe that the government have not been fair to us. If the government agrees to listen and agree to our conditions we will call off the strike today.
“Firstly, the conditions of service that enhance our motivation to perform well, such as financial support, we require clearance from the finance ministry to hire more staff to increase our number because some of our workers have travelled outside the country, others have retired and so on.
“If the government had wanted to resolve these issues, it should have intervened earlier, preventing the situation from reaching its current state,” the MELPWU spokesperson told Adom News.
Background to the strike
The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) has announced a nationwide strike, effective June 17, 2024, over the lack of Conditions of Service for its members.
The strike follows unsuccessful negotiations with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on May 31, 2024, which the union deemed “disappointing.”
The union has been negotiating for nearly two years, but the delayed negotiations have prompted the strike to pressure the government to conclude negotiations on Conditions of Service.
Laboratory services in public hospitals across the country, according to the Union would not be available from June 17, a situation which will adversely affect health care delivery.
MELPWU, on Monday, June 3 served a strike notice to the National Labour Commission (NLC), FWSC, Ministries of Employment & Labour Relations, Health and Finance, and all relevant agencies.
The notice, signed by the General Secretary of MELPWU, Dr Cephas Kofi Akortor, expressed disappointment at stakeholders, citing “undue delay in concluding negotiations with the union,” and lack of financial clearance for non-mechanised members” as the reasons for the strike.
According to the union, the notice is under Section 159 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651).
The executives of the union, at a press briefing after a negotiation meeting with the FWSC, described the outcome of that meeting as “disappointing,” and accused the FWSC and Ministry of Finance of not demonstrating good faith.
Justifying the action, the notice stated, “Without prejudice to the directives given by the National Labour Commission on 30th May 2024, we recognise that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Finance are deliberately frustrating the efforts of a rather peaceful union that is ensuring that Labour-Management relationship does not suffer.”
“To prevent a rather explosive situation that cannot be easily managed by the union, the National Executive Council at an emergency meeting, approved the demands of membership to proceed on a full-blown industrial strike action effective Monday 17th June 2024 to enable them to press home the needed attention and importance to be given to the concerns of the union.
“Thus, services provided by our members in all medical laboratories, blood banks, pathology laboratories, and selected mortuary facilities will be impacted,” the notice stated.
Membership of the union comprises Medical Laboratory Scientists, Medical Laboratory Technicians, and Medical Laboratory Assistants who provide laboratory diagnostic services in all clinical laboratories and blood banks under the Ministry of Health and allied agencies including the Ghana Health Service, and National Blood Service.
It also has the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Teaching Hospitals, Health Training Institutions, Ahmadiyya Health Services Ghana and University of Ghana Medical Centre, among others.
It also includes laboratory professionals who provide technical services in Pathology Laboratories and selected mortuary facilities in the country.
