Let’s avoid firefighting approach to labour issues

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSSAG) yesterday walked away from the law courts, citing the government’s delay in consolidating the salaries and allowances of the Judicial Service staff, as recommended by the Judicial Council.

Addressing a press conference in Accra last Thursday, the President of JUSSAG, Mr Alex Nartey, said all attempts by the association to get the government to pay the approved salaries had been unfruitful.

For sometime now, members of organised labour have been up in arms with the government over unpaid allowances, salaries or inconclusive negotiations of conditions of service.

During such turbulent periods, productivity has suffered, thereby disrupting efforts in consolidating the gains of economic development.

We recall with pain occasions when health professionals have embarked on strike and left their patients at the mercy of a virtually collapsed health delivery system. 

When lives are at stake, it is difficult to justify any action by health professionals to walk away from the consultation rooms in demand for better conditions of service.

Strikes by other sectors of the economy may not be about life and death as is the case with the strike by JUSSAG members. Nonetheless, the country needs an effective and accessible judiciary to sustain our democratic dispensation as well as promote peace and stability in the country.

Without a functional judiciary there can be no rule of law, which is the building block on which a modern democratic society is built.

It is said that laws are made for the welfare of the people to maintain harmony between the conflicting forces in society.

The rule of law is actually the foundation stone on which the platform of democracy lies, with regard to respecting the rights of others and the way they want to express themselves by speech, writing etc. Democracy can thrive and be sustained if civil liberties are respected.

The Daily Graphic thinks that in an election year, nothing must be done to derail our forward march towards another successful election. For this reason, we appeal to JUSSAG and the government to remain at the negotiation table until an amicable settlement is reached.

Without a functional judiciary, there will be chaos in the society as people may resort to self-help initiatives to resolve their grievances.

The Daily Graphic is happy that the government has decided to resolve the grievances of the JUSSAG by agreeing to pay them their allowances by Monday.

All the same, we appeal to the government to be proactive in its dealing with organised labour and not wait until workers threaten to embark on a strike or actually embark on it before it moves in quickly to resolve their concerns.

This fire fighting approach to labour management and industrial relations is not the best way of sustaining harmony at the industrial scene.

We, however, commend the government and JUSSAG for moving quickly to end the strike  and restore action to the courtrooms.