After having successful deliberations with the Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG), the National Labour Commission (NLC) is optimistic that the Association will call off its nationwide strike on Thursday, March 7, 2019.
The mortuary workers, who embarked on a strike on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, over their low salaries and poor working conditions, demanded from the government an increment in their salaries, coupled with improved conditions of service.
According to them, the Ministry of Health‘s failure to provide its members with a counter-proposal to their requests and a date for negotiations with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, pushed them to embark on the strike.
The strike, however, left families stranded at the various mortuaries as they could not retrieve the bodies of their deceased family members or even deposit new ones in there.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Ofosu Asamoah made it known that the commission was expected to have a final meeting with the mortuary workers, after which they will resume work.
“Several meetings have gone on with the mortuary employers and the Ministry of Health of which the Labour Commission has been briefed of all the developments,” he said.
“We have invited them to appear before the Commission this morning. At least almost every issue has been resolved but their negotiation with the Fair Wages Commission is the main crux now. Hopefully after the meeting, the issue will be resolved and we will go back to work,” Ofosu Asamoah added.
On the other hand, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission described the strike by the mortuary workers as illegal because they refused to go through the approved procedure before declaring the industrial action.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
