There is no doubt that as workers, God has graciously ushered everyone into the new year 2024, with great commitment to continue to deal with the mirage of challenges facing the working populace of the country, General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU-Ghanan) Morgan Ayawine has said.
The improvement in the economy, the union believes, will impact positively on the fortunes of workers and employers in both public and private sectors.
“As workers leaders’, our overall goal is to continue to collaborate with our social partners to ensure we operate within a conducive working environment that will engender increased productivity, which will result in higher profits for our organisations and better remuneration for workers,” Mr Ayawine said in his New Year statement on Monday.
He added “It is in this vein, that the ICU-Ghana, reiterates the need for workers to be guided by the union maxim viz ‘the Employer’s Vision, Our Union’s Concern.’ In upholding the union’s maxim, it is expected that Ghanaian workers will commit to sacrifice and re-dedicate themselves to working assiduously to help employers realise their organizational goals, for the mutual benefit of all.”
Below is the full statement…
Dear Comrades, on behalf of the Leadership, Management and Staff of the great Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union, ICU-Ghana, I convey to you all, warm greetings of the New Year, 2024.
There is no doubt that as workers, God has graciously ushered us into the new year 2024, with great commitment to continue to deal with the mirage of challenges facing the working populace of our country. The improvement in the economy, the union believes, will impact positively on the fortunes of workers and employers in both public and private sectors.
As workers leaders’, our overall goal is to continue to collaborate with our social partners to ensure we operate within a conducive working environment that will engender increased productivity, which will result in higher profits for our organisations and better remuneration for workers.
It is in this vein, that the ICU-Ghana, reiterates the need for workers to be guided by the union maxim viz “the Employer’s Vision, Our Union’s Concern.” In upholding the union’s maxim, it is expected that Ghanaian workers will commit to sacrifice and re-dedicate themselves to working assiduously to help employers realise their organizational goals, for the mutual benefit of all.
The ICU-Ghana, having expressed worry over the years regarding the country’s increasing unemployment situation and the attendant rising poverty levels, will like to call on government to pay serious attention to some strategic State-owned institutions in this new year, 2024 by injecting the needed financial resources into such institutions to revive and sustain them. This is one progressive way, to help those whose jobs are on the line in such organisations, and also, go a long way to creating sustainable employment opportunities for our teaming young people.
ICU-Ghana, therefore reiterates its special APPEAL to the social partners, especially, Government, to extend the needed support to the following State-Owned Enterprises Aluworks Ghana Limited , Neoplan Ghana Limited, PBC Limited and Volta Star Textiles Limited, since the potential of the huge economic contributions from these institutions to attainment of the country’s rapid socio-economic goals, cannot be over emphasized.
We are very much hopeful that the bailout to the National Investment Bank upon appeal by the Union (ICU-Ghana), will see magnificent results in this new year 2024 and beyond. This will surely be a testament of the belief of the union that, with dedicated central government support, strategic State-Owned Enterprises, SOEs can play their rightful roles in the national development efforts. It will also give meaning to the advocacy by labour unions for the necessary conditions to be created for sustainable employment opportunities. For employers whose goal is how to bend the rules against workers thereby jeopardizing their future, ICU-Ghana, urges such employers to reposition themselves, so that the labour terrain can be peaceful to engender higher productivity.
As the nation prepares to go to the polls this year, 2024, the ICU-Ghana, wishes to encourage all citizens to contribute their quota in maintaining the national cohesion, to sustain investor confidence to propel economic growth. The union will like to remind Ghanaians that peaceful environment is critical for accelerated growth, and it is the expectation of the union that all stakeholders, will unite and strive at all times to sustain the national peace and stability. This is because, no amount of increased productivity can take place in an atmosphere of violence.
In this regard, the union urges all political actors to conduct their activities devoid on rancour and acrimony, mindful of the fact that the working people can only give of their best in a peaceful society.
The gallant workers of Ghana, have over the years sacrificed for the national interest, but it behooves other social partners, to play their roles responsibly for the greater good of the country.
On this note, The ICU-Ghana, SALUTE ALL WORKERS, our SOCIAL PARTNERS and Ghanaians in general and wish all a productive and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR, 2024.
……………………………….
MORGAN AYAWINE
GENERAL SECRETARY
Dated: 1ST January, 2024
