General News of Friday, 12 April 2013
Source: GNA
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has clarified some impressions and misconceptions linked to the recent labour agitations by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA).
It said in the matter between GHOSPA and the Fare Wages and Salary Commission (FWSC) on the grading of the pharmacists, the NLC adopted the recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service Council on the entry level for the pharmacists.
A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the NLC has not erred in any way, nor has it interfered with the negotiation process as it is being speculated in the media.
The statement said it is also imperative to correct the erroneous impression created on specifically TV3 that the NLC was to convene a meeting lately yesterday, April 10, 2013 with all the striking unions to negotiate their market premiums.
It said the NLC, under Section 134 of the labour Act 2013 (Act 651), is a body that facilitates the settlement of disputes as the case may be and not a negotiating body.
It said that the commission’s main remit is to promote an enabling environment and effective cooperation between labour and management using effective resolution method.
It said the issue of GMA and GHOSPA have gone through the necessary arbitration procedure and are classified as essential service providers.
The statement said NLC’s arbitration process has taken pains to ensure that all avenues are exhausted and issues resolved for the disputants.
The NLC however stated emphatically that it has indeed finished playing its adjudicating role by settling the issues between the GMA, FWSC and the GHOSPA for which awards have been made.