Four major nursing and midwifery unions in Ghana have disassociated themselves from the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association’s (GRNMA) planned industrial action set to begin on June 2, 2025.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, May 28, the Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives Ghana (UPNMG), the Professional Association of Psychiatric Nurses Ghana (PAPNG), the National Association of Registered Midwives Ghana (NARM-GH), and the Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA) expressed concern over GRNMA’s unilateral decision to declare a strike.

The unions said the decision contradicts a unanimous resolution reached at a joint meeting held just a day earlier, on May 27, where all parties agreed to hold off on any industrial action pending further consultation with their members and a scheduled meeting with the Minister of Finance regarding the implementation of the Collective Agreement (CA) on their Conditions of Service (COS).

“We are, therefore, deeply concerned by the unilateral decision of GRNMA to proceed with an intended industrial action… in direct contradiction to the collective resolution,” the statement read.

The four unions reaffirmed their commitment to the Collective Agreement negotiations but stressed that progress must be made through structured dialogue and coordinated action, rather than individual moves that could weaken the collective bargaining power of healthcare professionals.

“Unilateral actions risk weakening our collective stance and may undermine the welfare of the very professionals we seek to represent,” the unions cautioned.

They clarified that they are not part of the declared strike and urged all their members to remain at post and continue delivering essential health services while talks with key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, continue.

The unions also called on GRNMA to reconsider its decision and honour the agreement reached during their joint deliberations.

“This is a critical moment for responsible leadership, unity of purpose, and strategic solidarity in Ghana's nursing and midwifery landscape,” they concluded.