Two national trade unions from Ghana and Nigeria have called on their respective governments to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 167 on health and safety in the construction industry.

The Construction and Building Materials Workers Union (CBMWU) and the National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction Furniture and Woodworkers (NUCECFWW) of the Nigeria Labour Congress, said the Convention, which was adopted in 1988, should be enacted into national laws to protect construction workers.

The communiqué, which was adopted at a conference of the two unions in Accra, said because of the anomaly, their respective governments rather relied on general laws that did not adequately protect their members.

The CBMWU and the NECECFWW also pledged their commitment to fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic in concert with National HIV/AIDS Commissions.

The communiqué said the two unions should demand representation in national programmes dealing with the ILO Action plans in the construction industry and that its relevant laws on decent work should be incorporated in collective agreements contracted with employers so as to help check anti-labour practices.

It said the conference abhorred the use of casual, contract, out-sourcing, sub-contracting and other exploitative means of employers with alleged support of the governments.

“These methods dehumanize the worker, therefore, the governments within the sub-region should protect their citizens caught within the orbit of such enslavement”, the unions added.

Source: GNA