Tema: The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) and the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) have called on multinational enterprises (MNEs) to prioritize the welfare of their employees by ensuring they work under favorable conditions.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Kenneth Koomson, Deputy Secretary General of the GFL, and Mr. Abdul-Moomin Gbana, General Secretary of the Ghana Mineworkers Union of the TUC, expressed these concerns as panel members during an International Labour Organisation (ILO) high-level corporate national dialogue. The dialogue focused on achieving decent work conditions within multinational enterprises operating in Ghana.
Mr. Koomson emphasized the importance of not just employment, but also the provision of good service conditions and social dialogue as key components of decent work. He noted that although these elements are outlined in conventional policies, many multinational enterprises fail to implement them effectively.
Highlighting the disparity between policy and practice, Mr. Koomson remarked, "They are big boys, and they think the employment given to Africans is a privilege to the people." He criticized these companies for treating workers as commodities, despite ILO conventions stating otherwise. He further revealed that many companies avoid responsibilities by resorting to casualization and contracting, with a significant portion of their workforce being temporary rather than permanent.
Mr. Koomson also mentioned that the Labour Bill currently before Parliament contains provisions that would require third-party recruiting companies to grant workers rights such as union formation.
Mr. Gbana urged stakeholders to be genuine in addressing these issues, warning against reducing workshops to mere talk shops. He pointed out that multinational companies, when attracted to Ghana, often prioritize profit over employee welfare due to initial promises and expectations.
He stressed the need for clarity regarding workers' rights from the outset, arguing that permanent employment is diminishing and that both policy and legal frameworks must be strengthened to ensure multinational enterprises understand their responsibilities from the beginning.
The dialogue, held in Tema, revolved around the theme: "Promoting Sustainable, Responsible and Inclusive Business Practices in Ghanaian Industries."
