May Day: Workers march to protest poor working conditions

As the world observes International Workers’ Day, organized labour in Ghana has taken to the streets to protest various issues bordering on poor conditions of service.

A common theme running through the placards during the protests was the inadequate pension benefit which is in line with the theme for this year’s May Day Celebration, “Sustainable Pensions for All: The Role of Social Partners”

The protesters have currently converged on the Black Star Square where the President of the republic is expected to address them

A protester who spoke to Citi News during the march said : “The negotiation that we started in 2018 is finalized after this May Day because workers can no longer contain the salaries that are being paid. The highest paid worker of Ghana Railway Company is GHC 2,300 and this is horrible.

“You can imagine what the ordinary workers are receiving as pensions. We cannot continue to receive these salaries so we are calling on management to review these salaries.”

Another said: “Workers are saying that over the years when a Ghanaian worker retires, in about five years, they are going to die because the pension they get is nothing to write home about.”

May Day, officially known as International Workers Day, is marked on May 1 and is a celebration of labour and the working classes.

May 1 was chosen as the day for workers by leading socialists in the late 1800s to commemorate the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, which occurred on May 1, 1886.

Workers normally organise processions in the regional capitals nationwide where they are addressed by leaders of the various labour unions.

In Accra, apart from the General-Secretary of the TUC, President Nana Akufo-Addo will also be expected to address the nation.

Source: citifmonline.com