The Ghana Mineworkers’ Union (GMWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) has launched a fully funded insurance scheme for its members on the occasion of its maiden Mineworkers’ Week celebration.

The “Mineworkers’ Union Abusua Insurance Scheme” is to cover members and their spouses, parents or parents-in-law and two children as a special gift to its members beginning August 1 this year.

At a news conference in Accra last Friday, the General Secretary of the GMWU, Mr Abdul-Moomin Gbana, said another key signature and symbol for the maiden celebration was the offer of unique identification (ID) cards to every member.

He said union’s week to be institutionalised and celebrated in June every year was to, among other things, appreciate and celebrate the hard work and loyalty of members, develop and deepen intimacy among them, form new partnerships and strengthen existing ones, create awareness and campaign on key issues relating to the mining industry and the Ghanaian society generally.

“As the GMWU inches towards a centenary amid the increasing uncertainties in the future of work, the complex and unpredictable trade union terrain, among others, trade unions such as ours have very few options but to innovate in order to respond to these inevitable changes,” he said.

Mr Gbana paid a glowing tribute to the forebears of the union for all their hard work and sacrifices, while he acknowledged and commended the gallant and hardworking members for their tenacity and loyalty throughout the years.

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Mineworkers’ Week

The annual mineworkers’ union week is on the theme : “Integrating Labour and Community Interest for Socioeconomic Development.”

Activities earmarked for the celebration which began, last Monday to Friday, include: the hoisting of GMWU flags and distribution of the union’s paraphernalia across all its constituencies; courtesy calls on key stakeholders, particularly in mining communities; and a campaign on the glaring infrastructural deficit in mining communities.

The rest are special donations to targeted institutions in the health and education sectors within mining communities and interactive radio/television interviews with members and the general public.


Inception / background

The GMWU, touted as the most representative trade union organisation in the extractive industry, has a current membership of over 13,000 workers.

Formerly known as the Gold Coast Miners Union, it was formed in June 1944 at Abosso, near Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana as a spontaneous response by miners at the time, to colonial domination and exploitation.

Indeed, prior to the reprisal against colonial domination and exploitation, miners in Ghana worked under extreme poor conditions. They worked for very long hours and were paid pittance, no social protection and in some instances inferior, occupational injuries/diseases and fatalities were common features of the workplace.