Galamsey: Organised Labour to proceed with nationwide strike amid internal tensions
Organised Labour has confirmed its decision to move forward with a nationwide strike on Thursday, October 10, 2024, citing dissatisfaction with President Akufo-Addo’s response to their demands regarding illegal mining, despite his renewed commitment to address the issue.
The union has been urging the government to declare a state of emergency on illegal mining and establish long-term solutions to combat the galamsey menace. Speaking on Monday, October 7, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, emphasized that the strike would proceed unless significant government action is taken before the deadline.
“Our strike remains unchanged,” Ansah stated, explaining that the government’s current proposals fall short of their demands. “We are of the view that what the government has proposed does not adequately address our demands and therefore our notice of strike remains unchanged.”
However, not all members within Organised Labour are in agreement. Tensions have surfaced, with groups such as the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) expressing concerns about a lack of consultation before the strike was announced.
A faction identifying as “Concerned Members of Organised Labour” has called on leadership to suspend the strike and engage in further discussions with the government.
Dr. Solomon Fokuo, a TUTAG member, voiced frustrations, noting that while they support the fight against illegal mining, they believe the leadership’s approach to the strike was mishandled. Fokuo suggested that if the same energy had been applied to improving members’ welfare, the situation could have been managed more effectively.
“We are all against galamsey. We are against all those who are destroying our waterbodies and the environment and we urge the government to use legal means to stop it to protect our environment but the major concern is what Organised Labour is talking about. They have decided to declare a strike on October 10 but we were not consulted and we have not been involved and are not aware,” Dr. Fokuo said.
