The National Labour Commission (NLC) yesterday ordered the striking staff of the National Identification Authority (NIA) to call off their action with immediate effect.
It also ordered national union of the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC-Ghana), which is the mother union of the NIA Division of the PSWU, to ensure that the striking staff return to work immediately.
The NLC further directed the PSWU to return to the negotiations being chaired by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and later report to the NLC on 3rd July 2024.
A press release issue by the public relation’s unit of the NLC said the leadership of the NIA Division of the PSWU was absent at the hearing yesterday.
“The NLC directed the parties to attend the next negotiations meeting scheduled for Friday14th June 2024, at the NIA Headquarters, and to negotiate in good faith,” the release stated.
Recall that last Wednesday, 12th June 2024, the National Labour Commission (NLC) declared as illegal and unwarranted the indefinite strike commenced by some staff of the National Identification Authority (NIA) on Monday, 10th June.
The NLC found that the declaration of strike by the staff contravened Section 161 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) which makes it illegal for a party to declare strike when negotiations are ongoing – “
(1) A party to an industrial dispute shall not resort to a strike or lockout during
the period when negotiation, mediation or arbitration proceedings are in progress.
– (2), A party who contravenes subsection (1) is liable for the damage, loss or injury suffered by any other party to the dispute”.
Accordingly, the NLC ordered that the strike be called off with immediate effect and that the National Union of the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) of the TUC (Ghana), which is the mother union of the NIA Division of the PSWU, should ensure that the striking staff return to work immediately.
