Organised Labour has stood firm despite appeals to cancel its planned strike starting today, Monday, July 15.
The strike is in protest of the sale of a 60 percent stake in four hotels owned by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to Rock City Hotel, owned by Agriculture Minister Bryan Acheampong.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the transaction, Organised Labour announced an indefinite strike starting July 15 if the process wasn’t stopped. SSNIT subsequently terminated the transaction on Friday, July 12, following intense pressure from other worker unions.
Speaking to Bernard Avle on the Citi Breakfast Show on Citi FM, Kenneth Koomson, Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, emphasized the historical role of Ghanaian workers in the country’s independence.
“Ghana’s independence wouldn’t have been possible without the involvement of workers and politicians should know that. The unity displayed on July 12 is just the tip of the iceberg, and going forward, Organised Labour is going to ensure that the ordinary Ghanaian is well taken care of.
“SSNIT’s function is to ensure social security for the population and so the leadership [of Organised Labour] recognised that the way by which the hotels were being sold was flawed and if you look at the content of the letter, we said we were not going to call off the strike until SSNIT board is dissolved.
He disclosed plans for an emergency meeting on Monday to review SSNIT’s response and announce their decision.
“We thought that it was important to assemble today to review the letter that has been written by SSNIT and then take a decision and so today will be a day to communicate to the public where we stand today and an announcement will be made afterwards.”