Josiah
The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) has announced a nationwide strike starting June 17, 2024, due to the lack of established Conditions of Service for its members.
This decision follows failed negotiations with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on May 31, 2024, which the union described as “disappointing.”
The union has been engaged in negotiations for nearly two years, and the prolonged delays have led to the strike as a means to pressure the government to finalize the Conditions of Service.
From June 17, laboratory services in public hospitals across the country will be unavailable, significantly affecting healthcare delivery. On Monday, June 3, MELPWU served a strike notice to the National Labour Commission (NLC), FWSC, and the Ministries of Employment & Labour Relations, Health, and Finance, along with all relevant agencies.
The notice, signed by MELPWU General Secretary Dr. Cephas Kofi Akortor, expressed disappointment with the stakeholders, citing “undue delay in concluding negotiations with the union” and the lack of financial clearance for non-mechanized members as the reasons for the strike.
The notice is issued under Section 159 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651).
Following a negotiation meeting with the FWSC, the union executives described the outcome as “disappointing,” accusing the FWSC and Ministry of Finance of not acting in good faith. Justifying the strike, the notice stated, “Without prejudice to the directives given by the National Labour Commission on 30th May 2024, we recognize that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Finance are deliberately frustrating the efforts of a peaceful union that ensures the Labour-Management relationship does not suffer.”
“To prevent a rather explosive situation that cannot be easily managed by the union, the National Executive Council, at an emergency meeting, approved the membership’s demand to proceed with a full-blown industrial strike action effective Monday, June 17, 2024, to draw the necessary attention to the union’s concerns.”
“As a result, services provided by our members in all medical laboratories, blood banks, pathology laboratories, and selected mortuary facilities will be impacted,” the notice stated.
The union’s membership includes Medical Laboratory Scientists, Technicians, and Assistants who provide laboratory diagnostic services in clinical laboratories and blood banks under the Ministry of Health and allied agencies, including the Ghana Health Service and National Blood Service. It also encompasses the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Teaching Hospitals, Health Training Institutions, Ahmadiyya Health Services Ghana, and the University of Ghana Medical Centre, among others. Additionally, it includes laboratory professionals who offer technical services in Pathology Laboratories and selected mortuary facilities in the country.
