Mortuary workers suspend strike, gives gov't 2-week ultimatum

Accra, Ghana - The Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG) has temporarily suspended its indefinite strike, which began today, September 26, 2024, giving the government a two-week ultimatum to address their pressing demands.

The strike was initiated to advocate for improved working conditions, including:

- Adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): essential for protecting workers from diseases and other hazards
- Resolution of Salary Arrears: settlement of outstanding salaries negotiated in 2020
- Financial Clearance for New Recruitment: hiring of 500 new mortuary workers

Richard Kofi Jordan, General Secretary of MOWAG, emphasized that the strike will resume if the government fails to meet their demands by October 10.

In an interview with Channel One News, Jordan underscored the association's commitment to their cause, asserting that they will continue to fight for their rights.

Jordan criticized the government for not fulfilling its promises to provide incentives for frontline health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. He reiterated that MOWAG's demands are straightforward and pose no threat to the economy.

“I am therefore directing my members, as I speak to you, that we should begin work immediately and serve the good people of this country. But it doesn’t mean that we have suspended it or called it off. We are really keeping it in abundance,'' he stated.

“We do not need to inform anybody before we trigger it. Starting on the 10th of October, from today, if we still have even one person who has not received what he has to receive, we trigger the strike. And this time round, it will not be nice.”

“Our demands are very straightforward and easy, they don’t affect the economy in any way. Our numbers are so small that it has no empirical bearing on the economy or even the budget. We are talking about PPEs, which is first, non-negotiable.

“It ought to be there already. PPEs or personal protective equipment, it is non-negotiable. It has to be provided with immediate effect, adequately. Number two has to do with some salary arrears, which was negotiated somewhere in 2020, which is still being manipulated by some few people, refusing to pay to us.”

“Another one has to do with some 500 mortuary workers that we are demanding their financial clearance to be given to people to be employed to support our staff. The last one has to do with the one that His Presidency Nana Akufo-Addo, announced that he was trying to motivate frontline health workers to continue to provide services during the time of COVID, which was denied multi-workers,'' he added

This suspension comes after MOWAG announced its intention to withdraw all services nationwide due to the government's neglect of their working conditions and delay in payment of members' salaries.

The association had previously attempted to resolve their grievances through negotiations, but all attempts proved unsuccessful.

Source: Lead News Online