The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has declared an indefinite strike for all workers across the country, commencing from December 27, 2022, until further notice. The decision was taken after the TUC’s one-week ultimatum to government to exempt all pension funds from the intended Debt Exchange Programme elapsed on Monday, December 19, 2022.
At a press conference in Accra yesterday, TUC Secretary-General, Dr. Yaw Baah, said “All workers across the country will lay down their tools from December 27, until the government decides to exclude all pension funds including SSNIT from the programme”. He added that the TUC would not allow vulnerable workers to suffer and pay the price for mistakes they did not commit.
“We won’t allow the already-suffering workers to pay for the government’s mistakes. Government is responsible for its own actions,” Dr. Baah indicated.
Key Associations and Unions present at the meeting included the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Teachers’ and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), UTAG, Concerned Teachers Association, National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), among several others.
It will be recalled that the TUC on December 12, 2022 registered its displeasure over government’s intended debt exchange programme, saying the plan when executed would have a negative impact on workers’ pensions.
According to the TUC, after a thorough analysis of the Debt Exchange Programme and extensive discussion of its implications, the TUC wrote a letter to Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta – reiterating that the programme would negatively impact pension funds of its members, and consequently the retirement income security of workers. The TUC gave the government and the minister a one-week ultimatum to respond favourably and exclude pension funds from the programme. However, on December 19, 2022 – which marked the ultimatum’s deadline – government and the Ministry of Finance did not respond to the TUC’s letter. This therefore leaves the TUC no option than to call for a strike which they believe.
The TUC asked workers to get ready to participate fully in the declared industrial action to protect pensions funds, adding: “Workers will no longer bear the consequences of any IMF-inspired policies. Government is responsible for all the consequences of its decisions”.
