Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, says the Congress is determined to ensure that all the assurances President Akufo-Addo gave at the recent May Day celebration are fulfilled.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he stated that in the past, government assurances at the durbar have merely been lip-service with little or nothing to show for years later.
According to Mr Ansah, this time, the TUC is determined to take the government on to ensure all assurances are met and their grievances are duly addressed.
“This time round, I think that it’s not going to be just a rhetoric, just a saying then we’ll go back to sit. We’re going to follow whatever he has said from A to Z, and we’re going to take government also on and ensure that whatever promises, whatever responses that he gave yesterday at the Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga are adhered to. This time around, we’re not going to just sit and look on because for years we have not achieved what is expected to be achieved during May Day,” he said.
This follows President Akufo-Addo among other things, assuring workers that their pensions will not be affected by the government’s domestic debt exchange programme.
This year’s May Day celebration was on the theme; “Protecting incomes and pensions in an era of economic crisis: Our responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Joshua Ansah has warned that the hard-won rights of workers are being eroded by some employers in the country.
He noted that some workers are being denied the right to organize unions and demand for better working conditions.
“May Day is a day that we commemorate our heroes who actually died, who actually fought for the cause of workers’ rights, who actually made us today enjoying the working condition that we’re enjoying.
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“This barbaric behaviour is rearing its head again in this very country where some employers are trying to trample upon the rights of workers; they’re making organizing and formation of unions very difficult in this country. And a clear example is the Asogli Power Plant in this country.
“So Evans, the message was very clear to the government and he also gave a response but we’re going to hold government to account whatever he has said at the Jubilee Park yesterday.”