The General Secretary of the Ghana Mineworkers Union (GMWU) of the Trade Union Congress, Ghana, Prince William Ankrah, says the union will remain focused on driving productivity forward and ensure improved working conditions for its membership, in spite of the challenges in the sector.
“We are not going to get complacent over our achievements over the 75 years of existence with its twist and turn, we shall remain focused to drive productivity forward,” he said.
Mr Ankrah was speaking to the Ghanaian Times at a reception for the union at La Trade Fair Centre on Wednesday, as part of the May Day celebration.
He said, the union had been able to establish a productivity related pay rise saying, “We have rational approach to salary adjustment devoid adversarial to drive productivity.”
Mr Ankrah commended the working classes for the commitment to nation building and especially the mineworkers for their commitment to productivity, assuring that the union would continue to press for sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the industry.
The General Secretary said the union would continue to champion their course, for more investment in the infrastructure development and the upliftment of the mining towns to improve the livelihoods of the mine workers.
He urged the working class to take advantage of Unique Insurance Company and the Golden Pride Savings and Loans, a wholly –owned GMWU non-banking financial institution, to undertake a compulsory saving toward a better future and to help grow the economy.
The GMWU was established in June 1944, originally as Gold Coast Mineworkers Union, in response to the exploitation of the indigenous workers in the mining sector by the colonial enterprise owners.
It has a membership of about 12,000 from 43 companies in the extractive industry in Ghana.
By Salifu Abdul-Rahaman
