Staff of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) are pushing for management support to unionize.
According to them, the welfare of staff is one of the key factors for the move as the development has had a negative effect on administrative operation of the state institution.
“For the 21 years the GMA has been in existence, we have not had any union and we are not permitted to join any union,” one staff told journalists.
“We have created some Associations but that is not a strong body that can push for staff welfare in a dispassionate manner.”
She said the development has resulted in low staff morale as some of them have stayed on the same rank for over 10 years.
“We are not saying promotion is automatic, but we recognize the hard work of some of our colleagues. If you are employed and you come to see someone who has stayed on a rank for 15 years in your department, what is the hope that you would rise in such a job,” she said.
She further noted that for fear of victimization, the status quo has remained for 21 years and efforts need to be made to allow the workers to have a union.
The workers’ union would not only seek their welfare but ensure that they are also giving off their maximum best to help regulate Ghana’s waterborne transportation system as well as the implementation of the requirements of International Maritime Conventions, the staff who spoke on anonymity said.
Earlier this year, staff of the Authority made efforts to address this issue but were not fruitful due to what appears to be reluctance on the part of management.