Unmechanized workers at the Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital in Accra seem to have taken enough of the indifference from Hospital Authorities as well as government as they threaten a series of actions to press home their demands for better conditions of service.
The workers say despite their long years of service they are still being referred to as casual workers and consequently denied good salaries and working conditions.
A press statement issued by the workers explain that “The Labour Act 2003, 75. (1) [A temporary worker who is employed by the same employer for a continuous period of six months and more shall be treated under this Part as a permanent worker].” They also say they are being paidsalaries ranging from 160 Cedis to 189 Cedis and are never promoted.
They say Employment and Labour Relations Minister; Haruna Iddrisu has reneged on an earlier promise to rectify their situation earlier this year; a situation that has made them livid.
To this end, the unmechanized workers from Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital together with others tell rawgist.com they are set for a demonstration after which they will embark on strike indefinitely whiles suing the government for a breach of the nation’s labour laws.
rawgist.com finds that some of these workers hold academic degrees and work in sensitive positions at the hospital that bother on human life but are still not given the required treatment. Click to see a document showing the Salaries of these unmechanized workers.
Please read full statement below:
NOTIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION AND LAWSUIT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF GHANA AS A RESULT OF POOR WORKING CONDITIONS CONTRARY TO THE LABOUR LAW
The over Fifty (50) Unmechanised (Casual / Temporal) workers at Princess Marie Louise Children’s Hospital, Accra of the Ghana Health service wish to inform the Ministers of Employment and Labour Relations and Health, The Director General of Ghana Health Service and the general public of our intention to embark on an intensive demonstration, indefinite strike and Lawsuit very soon if our employment status is not mechanized or regularized. Plans are also far advanced to bring a Lawsuit against the Government of Ghana for breaching the Labour laws. The Labour Act 2003, 75. (1) [A temporary worker who is employed by the same employer for a continuous period of six months and more shall be treated under this Part as a permanent worker].
In this modern era, our members are being remunerated based on flat salaries which according to the document from the Ghana Health service are even meant for Laborers’ and Interns. These unsustainable low salaries are given to each worker irrespective of qualifications, the number of years one has spent working hard for government and has no provision for risk allowance accordingly.
The basic Salary range from the Ghana Health Service paid to our members range from GH¢160 to GH¢189 even though most of our membership have spent three (3) to Eighteen (18) years working at the hospital to save children’s lives. We have never experienced even a single promotion after all these years. How does Government expect us to make ends meet and pay every bill (Water, Electricity, School fees, Garbage, food etc.) just like any other worker in the Ghana Health Service? Honorable Haruna Iddrisu , the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations promised us last year after a meeting that the issue would be resolved in the early parts of 2016, we are in the second quarter of the year, we have not experienced any change in our working conditions.
PML Children’s Hospital launched its 90TH anniversary celebration recently; all dignitaries were present including the Health Minister, Mr. Alex Segbefia. No promise came from the minister to address our concerns.
Several meetings upon meetings, letters to the Ghana Health Service, the Ministry of Health, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Labour department, and most of all His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama all yielded zero results.
The Ministry of Health is preparing the conditions of service for all Health workers, we ask, are we not part of Health Workers in the public sector?. It is very sad to note that no one considered us during this development.
In a very shortest possible period, we would invite all well-wishers of the Children’s Hospital, Parents, stakeholders, Journalists, All Human Right Lawyers such as Maurice Ampaw, Ace Ankoma, Francis Xavier Sosu etc to come and support us fully to embark first on a mammoth demonstration from the premises of Children’s Hospital to the Employment Ministry, The Ministry of Health , and finally to THE FLAGSTAFF HOUSE and alert His Excellency the President , Mr. John Dramani Mahama of our suffering. These actions would be followed with immediate indefinite strike action and the filing of a Lawsuit against the government of Ghana if our employment status is not regularized by then.
Find attached salary documents from the Ghana Health Service, sadly referring to us as Casual or Temporal workers after all these years of working in the public sector.
Francis Asare
Chairman
Unmechanised (Casual) Workers Association, PML Children’s Hospital
Ghana Health Service
