General News of Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Source: citifmonline.com
Some angry JUSSAG members
The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSSAG) has said it is ready to face the National Labour Commission (NLC) in court over their ongoing strike.
The NLC filed a lawsuit on Tuesday seeking an order to compel workers of the Judicial Service to call off their strike but JUSSAG insist their strike is legal. JUSSAG announced a strike last week over government’s failure to approve their reviewed salaries and allowances despite an agreement to that effect.
General Secretary of JUSSAG, Derrick Annan, told Citi News that even though the suit by the NLC was not appropriately filed, they will appear before the court on May 31. “On the face of the document, we have issues with it and we have referred that issue to our lawyers.
“The position the NLC has taken clearly does not help in settlement of the main issues we have before government except to play the card of legality and illegality. Is it to buy time or to find a way to delay the entire process? On the 31st of May we will be in court for us to be heard,” he added.
NLC suit a distraction
Mr. Annan further described the NLC suit as a distraction and a deviation from the real pertinent issues.
But the Labour Commission has insisted that the strike is illegal because JUSSAG did not serve due notice of their intentions.
JUSSAG has however stated it will remain resolute despite the legal action because they are convinced the strike is in accordance with provisions of the labour law which required them to notify the Labour Commission not later than seven days before the action.
NLC unhappy with format of notice
The JUSSAG General Secretary further reiterated his association’s position in an interview on Eyewitness News and insisted that the NLC was served notice of the action in time.
Mr. Annan indicated that the NLC only took issue with the format of JUSSAG’s notice because they felt it was not in the prescribed format seeing as it was copied and not written directly to them.
“Indeed, we served notice on them except that the Labour Commission said that the notice should be in prescribed form. Which prescribed form is that? I don’t know the nature of the prescribed from the Labour Commission wants,” Mr. Annan stated.
Inconclusive meeting
Meanwhile a meeting between JUSSAG and the Labour and Employment ministry on Tuesday ended inconclusively. The two parties are expected to meet again on Thursday to continue negotiations.