Labour Consultant Senyo Adjabeng says he is yet to see a legal strike in the country. His comments come on the back of recent comments by National Security Advisor General Brigadier (Rtd) Nunoo Mensah, regarding industrial actions on the labour front, which have brought to the fore, questions over whether the strikes are legal or not.

Adjabeng explained “some of them start legally but become illegal after the [National] Labour Commission intervenes. He added that strikes are genuine after the 7 day window period for employers but when the National Labour Commission or employers including government intervenes and dialogue starts it is illegal for any union to strike.

Strike over the years have been used as the last resort and sometimes an arm twisting tool by organized labour to press home their demands. Nonetheless, Adjabeng believes that strikes have achieved very little results for any labour union.

Responding to questions on NewsDesk on JoyNews on MultiTV he described the negotiating tool as archaic urging union leaders to explore arbitration. He blamed the current state of the labour front on the leadership and their inability to enforce the labour laws for the fear of losing popular vote.

He also asked the leadership and employers to adhere to the labour laws to the letter as a way of discouraging illegal strikes. That means while negotiations are ongoing any striking labour must lose his or her salary for absence.  

Adjabeng hinted alternate dispute resolution or dialogue could be far more beneficial to labour unions