The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers' Union (MELPWU) has been granted permission by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to obtain a collective bargaining certificate in order to represent and bargain on behalf of its members.
The decision was made in response to a report by the Chief Labour Officer stating that among the trade unions representing the country's medical laboratory professionals, the MELPWU had a demonstrable majority of members.
The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) opposed the MELPWU's application for a negotiating certificate, causing a stalemate in the health sector. The MELPWU split from the HSWU to become an independent trade union.
Because the Chief Labour Officer did not consult with all parties, the HSWU rejected the Chief Labour Officer's first membership verification.
Director of labour
The Employment Ministry instructed the Chief Labour Officer to do the verification again in line with Regulation 10 of the Labour Regulations, 2007 (LI 1833) in order to remove any lingering questions and to make sure that everyone is happy before the certificate is granted.
At a final meeting held at the employment ministry last Tuesday to break the deadlock, the Chief Labour Officer, Mr. Eugene Narh Korletey, said updated data obtained from the Controller and Accountant General's Department showed that out of 4,010 unionised workers within the medical laboratory professional field, only 1% were employed in the field's administrative support positions.
Association for professionals
The United Professional Nurses and Midwives Ghana (UPNMG) has five members compared to the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association's nine (0.22%) members (0.12 per cent).
In the report, he stated, "We further determine that as a consequence, MELPWU will be granted the Collective Bargaining Certificate to cover the classes of employees within the Medical Laboratory Professional class of health professionals in the nation."
In this respect, Mr. Bright Wireko-Brobbey, deputy minister of employment and labour relations, who presided over the meeting, granted the go-ahead for the labour department to issue the collective bargaining certificate.
According to the data, MELPWU has the most members, which is sufficient to meet the criteria for issuing a collective bargaining certificate.
The Deputy Minister stated, "We request the Labour Department to proceed to grant the Collective Bargaining Certificate to MELPWU in compliance with the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) and Labour Regulations, 2007 (LI 1833)."
The licence granted to MELPWU "should not open the floodgates" for union breakaways and the need for bargaining certificates, the Deputy Minister warned.
He urged the presidents of the two unions to work together throughout the transition period to make sure that no employee suffered or was negatively affected.
exercise in verification
Lawrence Lawson, the Director of Training at the Ministry of Health, who oversaw a group of medical experts, expressed satisfaction with the verification process and thanked everybody involved for their cooperation.
In order to preserve the industrial peace, Mr. Lawson thanked the Employment Ministry for aiding in the resolution of the issue and asked the parties to cooperate going forward.
Cephas Kofi Akortor, the general secretary of the MELPWU, and Franklin Owusu Ansah, the general secretary of the HSWU, both expressed their gratitude to the deputy minister and representatives from the employment ministry, ministry of health, and labour department for taking the initiative to break the impasse. In order to further the interests of their members, Mr. Akortor reaffirmed the commitment of the MELPWU to retain a positive relationship with the HSWU.
After the meeting, the deputy minister led the two union leaders to contact Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, the Employment Minister, to let him know the conclusion.