Organised Labour suspends nationwide 'galamsey' strike

Organised Labour has suspended the planned nationwide strike, which was scheduled for Thursday October 10, 2024, in protest against illegal mining commonly known as galamsey.

The reason is that, Organised Labour is now pleased with government's enhanced measures and time bound measures in respect of demands by the labour unions to fight illegal mining.

This is coming after a meeting between government, leaders of Organised Labour and the Ghana Employers Association on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.

The Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, announced the suspension on Wednesday, October 9 at a press conference and said the concessions offered by the government was "significant" to the demands of Organised Labour.

He said Organised Labour "will keenly monitor the implementation measures by the government and government will hear from us if it fails to do the needful."

This suspension comes just days after Organised Labour had signaled its intent to proceed with the strike, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s earlier efforts to address the menace.

The measures based on which Organised Labour has agreed to suspend the nationwide strike are revocation of the mining in forest reserves Regulation of 2023 (L.I. 2642).

Another one is the directive by the President for the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to submit a memorandum for the revocation of the Regulation to Parliament when it reconvenes on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

The redeployment of the military and other law enforcement agencies to flush out illegal miners from water bodies and forest reserves.

Background 

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday, Oct 7, 2024, Mr Ansah said unless the government takes decisive action, Organised Labour will go ahead with the nationwide strike.

"We have concluded as follows: our strike remains unchanged..., we are of the view that what the government has proposed does not adequately address our demands, and therefore our notice of strike remains unchanged." he stated.

The demands of Organised Labour include the declaration of a state of emergency on all forms of small-scale mining, the implementation of stronger regulatory measures to protect water bodies, and the revocation of L.I. 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves.

The unions have argued that the current laws are inadequate and that the government needs to adopt a more aggressive stance to ensure compliance and protect the country's natural resources.

Divided front

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) indicated that its members will not participate in the nationwide strike action declared by Organised Labour in protest against illegal mining (galamsey).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the GMA President, Dr. Frank Serebour expressed the association's support for the cause but urged all GMA members to continue providing full services at health facilities across the country.

Similarly on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) announced that it will not participate in the nationwide anti-galamsey strike declared by organised labour on October 10, 2024.

The decision comes after the National Council of GRNMA held an emergency meeting on October 8, 2024.