Don't wait for strike, always include workers in decision making — Austin Gamey to employers

Austin Gamey

A Labor Dispute Resolution Expert, Austin Gamey is encouraging employers, particularly those in the government sector to involve their employees in decision making to avoid strike actions.

He said always waiting for strike action before engaging employees is not the best corporate practice.

Speaking to Accra based Joy News today, the former Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Rawlings era stated that, the inability of employers to involve their employees or even labor unions in decision making is the reason for the rampant strike actions by different unions.

According to him, inclusivity must be the core of every organisation indicating that people who manage other people and resources must learn the art and science of involving the employees at decision making levels.

“Inclusivity as I mentioned earlier is not a figure of speech. It is doable. It must be done. People who manage people and resources must learn the art and science of living and involving people. The law enjoins us to share relevant information and we put that there because the constitution demands that we must take steps to ensure that working people participate in decision making,” he stated.

His comment follows the rampant strike actions staged by different labor unions in the country.

The leadership of UTAG is yet to call off its strike even after a court imposed an interlocutory injunction on the strike. According to the group, a mistrust of the employer is what is causing their hesitancy to return to the classroom.

The College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) also went on strike but suspended it after a while.

Adding to the list very recently is the staff at the Ghana Meteorological Agency who started an indefinite strike action on February 18 as a result of poor conditions of service.