Organised labour yesterday warned of turbulent industrial times ahead if Government and employers did not address the growing demands for better incomes in an appropriate manner.

Addressing this year's gathering of workers at the Independence Square to mark the May Day celebrations, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress, said the persisting gross inequalities in incomes was a demonstration that labour was not getting its fair share of the results of its contribution to nation building.

He noted that the trend did not augur well for economic and social stability and therefore called on the social partners in industrial relations, particularly government, to invest more in genuine social dialogue and collective bargaining to ensure that they could promote peaceful industrial relations and the orderly settlement of disputes.

The National May Day marked on the theme: "Labour and Nation Building: 50 Years and Beyond,” was attended by President John Agyekum Kufuor, Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Ministers of State, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and other dignitaries.

Mr Adu-Amankwah, who noted that the country's experience had shown that growth in the economy would not automatically reduce income inequality, reiterated organised labour"s position of the payment of a living wage as a means of reducing the present salary inequalities.
”We urge our social partners to commit themselves to the determination of the living wage not only as a poverty reducing measure but also as a means of motivating workers to increase productivity,” he said.

While acknowledging support for the ongoing public sector pay reforms, the TUC Secretary-General made it clear that organised labour's participation in the process was based purely on the expectation that it would not only lead to a significant improvement in salaries for public sector workers but also address the widening inequities.

Mr Adu-Amankwah said although the economy had achieved positive economic growth in the last 15 years, culminating in decline in interest rates, inflation, and exchange stability, these achievements did not reflect in the living standards of the people.

He suggested the creation of jobs to reduce “the chronic poverty” in the country.
Currently, over 7m out of the estimated 9m people in the labour force are employed in the informal sector - as The Statesman reported in its May Day special edition

Mr Adu-Amankwah lauded the on-going National Youth Employment Programme, saying it was a step in the right direction.
He said organised labour was conducting a survey to gather information from the youth themselves on their perceptions about the labour market to enable it to make input into the implementation and review of the programme.

Also addressing the gathering, President Kufuor saluted Ghanaian workers for their contribution to the economic growth of the nation over the past 50 years and pledged the Government's firm resolve to establish equity in the country's pay structure.

To this end, it has started a national job analysis and evaluation exercise, the outcome of which would be used for the re-grading of jobs based on their comparability and also provide the basic data for the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to work with.

President Kufuor, said this was expected to be completed in August, 2007 to give enough time for any resulting adjustments to be captured in the 2008 budget.
The exercise was gathering information about more than 1,500 different jobs across the public sector with an estimated 8,000 job holders selected from more than 100 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, providing information of the work they do.
President Kufuor said not only has the Government backed the implementation of the new salary system by law through the passage of the Act establishing the Commission but everything was also being done to avail the Commission with the right human resources and appropriate facilities.
He assured the workers that public sector pay and pensions reform were the highest priority agenda of the Government and called for patience on the labour front.
He said there should be patience, persistence and commitment to pull together to uplift the economy.

Earlier, workers defied the early morning heat and went on a procession from the Nkrumah Circle through Adabraka, UTC and High Street before finally converging at the Independence Square.
Some of the workers carried placards, which read, “Solve the Energy Crisis,” “President, Ghana Consolidated Diamond Workers are Dying,” “50 Years of Light Off. Why?”

GNA