By Alfred Adams
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Two rival unions – the Railway and Allied Transport Workers Union Workers Union (RATWU) and the Railway Workers Union (RWU) – which were operating separately within the ailing Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) have at long last merged, after several years.
By the merger, the two unions would no more operate autonomously, but would work as a one union with one mouthpiece and a common purpose. Now known as the Ghana Railway Workers Union (GRWU) after the successful merger at a conference held at the weekend, the GRWU now has one Secretary and Chairman who would seek to bargain and fight for the right of the railway worker.
Addressing the merger conference on the theme “Efficient Rail Transport: A prerequisite for National Development”, the newly-elected GRWU Secretary, Mr. Godwill Ntarmah, expressed his joy and delight at the merger.
He said: “It is with great pleasure that I stand before you to address you as the first General Secretary of the newly-merged Ghana Railway Workers Union of TUC. My heart is full of joy that at long last the two unions have come together as one, after several attempts in the past.”
Continuing, the GRWU General Secretary, however, pointed out that the merger had come at a time that the rail sector was in a sorry state, and “our dear company, the Ghana Railway Company Limited, is gradually grinding to a halt.”
This concern, according to the Secretary, should be the headache of every member of the union.” This is because our existence depends largely on the existence of the GRCL. “It is this vein that the leadership of the union, every now and then, calls on the government to ensure the sustenance of the company, while waiting for the total revamping of the rail sector.”
Recalling the important role the rail transport had played on our economic social and political development during the 19th Century, Secretary Godwill Ntarmah, however, said the story could not be told today. This is because, the fortunes of the rail transport in Ghana now have declined considerably, following years of neglect, and the huge work deficit faced by the railway workers needed no emphasis.
He pointed out that in 2015, volumes of freight and passengers transported by rail were just about 25% and 9 % respectively of the levels in the 1960. Mr. Ntarmah pointed out again that “as rail infrastructure declined, the fortunes of the railway workers and the unions also declined accordingly.”
He said staff strength and conditions of work of railways have declined considerably, pointing out that the current staff strength of the company, which was around 1,542, was just a fraction of earlier levels.
Secretary Ntarmah said over the years, railway workers and unions have made efforts, including sacrifices, towards improving rail transport in the country, but were faced with a significant work deficit.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
He said given their importance of rail transport to economic and social development, it could be argued that the neglect of Ghana’s rail transport sector partly explained the country’s poor economic and social outcomes. He, therefore, suggested that in order to achieve the desired developmental outcomes, the government ought to include a programme to revamp the rail sector for efficient transport of goods and persons.
Touching on conditions of service, General Secretary Ntarmah told the conference that the conditions of service for the railway worker had not been varied for a long time. He mentioned that in 2008, for instance, railway workers were not paid for six months. In December 2015, the workers were also not paid. Even though he pointed out what has been political rhetoric to improve the sector, very minimal effort had been made by the government to halt the decline in the sector and improve it.
He, for instance, mentioned the passage of the railway Act 2008, which established the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA). The Act was established to promote the development of railways and railway services, hold, administer and improve the railway assets and promote the development and management of sub urban railway. But General Secretary Ntarmah says the Act has delivered very little as against the high expectations. He, therefore, suggested a total review of the act.
The post Railway Unions Finally Merge appeared first on Ghanaian Chronicle.