The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) will on Tuesday, May 21, resume Conditions of Service negotiations with the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers’ Union (MELPWU) in adherence to a directive by the National Labour Commission.

This follows an invitation from the Commission to the leadership of MELPWU, the Ministries of Health and Finance, to resume their negotiations at the Ministry of Labour and Employment Relations on May 21, 2024.

The Labour Commission last Thursday ordered the FWSC to resume and conclude negotiations with the union, in a bid to avert a nationwide industrial action by the union.

The invitation letter, signed by Professor Charles A. Oppong, Director of Grievance and Negotiations at the FWSC, has slated the negotiation meeting for Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

It will be the first meeting after negotiations stalled for months due to outstanding issues, including the absence of financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.

The long delay for the resumption of the negotiations triggered a reaction by the union which planned to embark on an industrial action on Monday, after giving the government a 20-day ultimatum on May Day, to address the outstanding issues.

But the Labour Commission intervened, and after a couple of meetings with both sides, directed the FWSC on Thursday, to resume and possibly conclude negotiations with the union by May 30^th.

In that regard, the Labour Commission impressed upon the union to hold on with their planned industrial action to enable negotiations to proceed. The Commission also urged the Ministry of Finance to give mandate to FWSC for the negotiations to continue.

MELPWU, in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Dr. Cephas Kofi Akortor, described the directive by the Labour Commission as a “positive step” towards addressing the grievances of the union.

Following the invitation by the FWSC, Dr Akortor indicates that the union will, in respect of the advice by the NLC, put on hold the planned industrial action, and await the outcome of Tuesday’s negotiation meeting.

He assured medical laboratory professionals of the commitment of the leadership of the union in ensuring the protection and promoting of their rights as workers.

“Members are urged to continue keeping the faith in leadership as we cooperate with the relevant authorities to do what is expected of them,” he stressed.

According to the union, the absence of a Condition of Service is adversely affecting the welfare of thousands of medical science laboratory professionals across the country, which jeopardizes the quality of healthcare services provided to the public.