The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for a unified labour body that will press forward the demands of all class of workers in the country.
According to the Trade Union, a national labour union that incorporated both workers from the formal and informal sectors could be in a better position to mount pressure on the government to identify austerity measures in fixing and stabilizing the economy.
Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, the Deputy General Secretary of the TUC, made the call on Friday, when he addressed members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Council of Labour at a meeting in Sunyani.
It was attended by representatives of the various District Councils of Labour, and aimed at sensitizing the participants on pensions, Single Spine Salary Structure and the minimum wage.
Dr Baah explained that the TUC was embarking on a massive membership drive and had targeted especially workers in the informal sector.
He said traders, artisans, petrol stations and hotel attendants, as well as market women ought to be captured and brought under the umbrella of the TUC.
Dr Baah emphasised the importance to strengthen the various regional and district councils of the union, so that they would hold regular interactions with members of the union.
He announced the 2016 minimum wage was pegged at GHC8, implying that employers in the formal and informal sectors must not pay employee monthly salary below GHC216.
Dr Baah tasked the TUC Regional Secretaries to work in harmony with the Regional Relation’s Officers in ensuring that employers especially those at the informal sectors paid their employees within the minimum wage.
He also advised workers to ensure that they are captured under the on-going biometric registration exercise being conducted by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
Mr Joseph Ankamah, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretary of the TUC, noted that the membership of the union was dwindling due to hard economic recovery programmes in the country.
He emphasised that the leadership of the TUC ought to impress on the government to do something about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) measures.
Mr Ankamah also appealed to the TUC leadership to help streamline the pension scheme of workers.
Credit: GNA
