Labor Expert Mr. Y. D. Amponsah has explained the differences between the Trade Union Congress TUC and Ghana Federation of Labor GFL to Ohene Kinnah on Plan B FM late afternoon show EBAANOSEN.
He said Trade Union Congress protects the collective bargaining rights of member unions under it. advocacy and policy intervention concerning the labor market and national issues that concern its members.
“TUC supports trade unions to grow and thrive, helping them represent their members and keep pace with the changing world of work.,stand up for everyone who works for a living, by publishing research and evidence, and campaigning for changes to the law and in society. Whilst the main purpose of organized labor is to improve the conditions and economic power of the working class. Unions can negotiate on behalf of their members for higher wages, better benefits, or protection from termination. In addition, they also lobby for better labor laws with legislators and politicians, also Organized labor is an association of workers united as a single, representative entity to improve the economic status and working conditions of employees through collective bargaining with company management. Organized labor groups are also known as unions.
Meanwhile, The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) says the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) is not the same as Organized Labour as people are made to believe.
Mr. Abraham Koomson, the Secretary General of the GFL, told newsmen in Tema that the power of the TUC to legally represent all workers in Ghana was revoked with the amendment of the Industrial Relations Act (1960), Act 299.
Mr. Koomson said the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) replaced the TUC with Organized Labour, adding that it did not mention the structure and organogram of Organized Labour, a lacuna that, according to him, the TUC had been taking advantage of.
“Organized Labour, which is a term (name) provided under the laws of Ghana, represents a body of recognized and independelaborour unions, federations, and associations working in concert to pursue the common interest of working people in and of Ghana,” he explained.
He said to cure the problem, GFL resorted to the High Court for some answers, adding, however, that the court advised that they pursued a settlement, out of which TUC and GFL agreed on three things.
The terms of settlement dated April 25, 2010, indicated that TUC and GFL were to work together to get a working definition of the term organized labour , an organ of decision-making within organized labour , and a timetable for the adoption by labor unions of the working document and operationalizing the same.
He indicated that following this, a nine-member committee with representatives of labor unions such as ICU, TUC, CLOGSAG, GFL, and others came out with a draft document on the three terms of the settlement agreement.
Mr. Koomson added that the committee also came up with the scope of organized labour cooperation and partnership, objectives, membership, governance structure, meetings, funding, and functions of leadership.
He stated, however, that the TUC had been frustrated after the process and the adoption of the draft of the committee to put in plaproperlyper organized labor instead of the knee-jerk and ad hoc approach by the TUC.
Meanwhile, the GFL, in a letter dated June 20, 2023, to the TUC, has called for the deliberations on the formalization of organize labour structures to be concluded soonest to precede effective collective action labor.
This, the Federation said, would enable labor to legitimately exercise its mandate to address the concerns of workers.
Discussion about this post