Labour unions have been a cornerstone of societal growth in many parts of the world. They have a rich history of contributing to the advancement of societies. Their weaponised industrial actions and powerful influence on politicians have transformed societies, advancing the conscience of the masses.  

Labour unions have weathered the turbulence of the world's jittery and unstable periods, bravely facing harassment and threats to protect their moral obligations of safeguarding society.

Even though I often find it condescending to use cases from the West to justify actions in Africa, it is imperative to state that the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States was partly born out of labour agitations, which put pressure on the government to protect the planet.

So, who says labour unions do not have power? Many critics believe that the Federation of Ghana's Labour Associations, also called organised labour, has been dormant all these years, watching politicians rip, rape and rift the nation apart with impunity.

The argument is that unions have yet to appreciate their power in shaping the nation's business and righting politicians' wrongs.

Most Ghanaians perceive that labour unions place their selfish interests ahead of national ones. They prioritise declaring one strike after another to push for the so-called better conditions of service, which have not served their conditions any better in this sinking country soaked in corruption and incompetencies.

This perception of selfishness was proven when they deployed their influence in a combined effort to halt a government policy to sell some of SNNIT’s assets that threatened workers' pensions.

Ghanaians commended the action and thought the same energy would be transferred to similar significant national problems that affect the masses to force the government to act.

This hope was rejuvenated by their recent threats to lay down tools if the government did not save the country from the devastating effects of Galamsey.

Regrettably, the hopes were dashed when organised labour thwarted the planned industrial action to solve the galamsey crisis amidst glaring division within their ranks.

Once again, politics has succeeded in dividing the leadership of the labour front, shattering any expectations for their ability to put governments in check. The decision to suspend their planned strike was miscalculated, and its far-reaching consequences going forward were underestimated.

The germane concern is that whatever motivated a section of organised labour’s leadership to discourage industrial action against the current government led by the NPP, the same reasons will impede any future planned industrial action against an NDC or a CPP-led government. This politicisation of everything has been a worrying trend that has wrecked this country's transformation.        

Admittedly, the issues were more complex considering the political interests involved. Its complexity lies in the timing, which has consequences in any way one looks. Having a galamsey conservation two months before a general election has political nuances. It is not a farfetched fact that the opposition party benefits from the galamsey agenda.

Therefore, organised labour's decision to strike was perceived as an attempt to tilt the scales in favour of the opposition party. The lackadaisical posturing of some union leaders to cooperate also sparked a suspicion that the government was patronising the leadership or some leaders to create a division and break their ranks.

This delicate test was to prove organised labour’s resolve to stand for principles and good conscience instead of playing to politicians' stooge bait.

However, their bad choices have eroded the enviable influence they had to pressure the government to follow the citizens' wishes.

They have allowed these destructive, self-centred politicians to infiltrate their ranks and obliterate the powerful negotiation card they held.

Clearly, the rugged terrain they were chartering was costly, yet they needed to have anticipated that their survival and respect depended on this galamsey issue they poked their noses into.

They should have accessed the cost properly and chosen their pressure strategies carefully. The decision to suspend the strike was a grave mistake, and it may have ended the invincibility aura created by their binding force, which shook decision-makers in politics.

In principle, I do not support strike actions, except that it has become the only language governments understand. Per my calculations, I expected the proposed strike to be brief.

At least two days of strike action could have been symbolic of sending a message to the government.

Yet, it was heartbreaking to see other unions like the Ghana Medical Association stand by the fence to wish other unions well to strike, knowing their influence. Ironically, they will turn back and lecture us on the severe health implications of galamsey.

What is the end game? Politicians have fully grasped how powerful organised labour could be and have also adapted to ways to trim their hedges to achieve political goals.

Going forward, they will influence the leadership selection processes in the various unions to gain an advantage in influencing labour decisions.

I advise that other labour unions learn from UTAG's decentralised and powerful decision-making mechanisms. You do what the members say, which explains why we are the only union standing for what is right because we are on STRIKE.

Written by Fuseini Iddrisu, Lecturer, UniMAC-IJ