The National Labour Commission (NLC) failed to show up in court on Tuesday in a case involving it and the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSSAG).
The NLC filed a lawsuit last week Tuesday to compel JUSSAG members to call off their strike.
According to the NLC, the strike is illegal.
But the Commission failed to show up in court although lawyers for JUSSAG were in court.
Justice Gifty Dekyem, who was expected to sit on the matter, said no case of such nature has been brought to her, a member of JUSSAG who monitored proceedings today told Pulse.com.gh.
JUSSAG has been on strike since Friday 20th May 2016 over what they say is government’s failure to implement the new agreed consolidation of their salaries and allowances.
JUSSAG embarked on a similar strike but was called off after assurances by Haruna Iddrisu the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations to ensure the implementation of the new salaries.
But two months afterwards the judicial service workers are accusing government of showing a lackadaisical attitude towards their demands and cannot hold on further for their demands.
On Monday, May 30, 2016, the minister of employment Haruna Iddrisu told the media progress has been made and that government is expecting JUSSAG to call off its strike action for negotiations to resume on Wednesday.
Haruna Iddrisu said a major public pronouncement of the future or otherwise of the strike is expected on Tuesday.
“I should indicate that some progress has been made and on Tuesday there would be a major definite public pronouncement of the future or otherwise of the strike action, he said. “I am hopeful and confident that before the close of work Tuesday, we all will know where we stand with the leadership of JUSSAG.”
The pronouncement, he said, is expected from JUSSAG, adding that government is ready to build some consensus with the striking judicial service workers.
“The pronouncement will come from JUSSAG not from government. The government team, we are holding ourselves in readiness on Wednesday to continue and work towards some consensus and agreement on some of the issues,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
According to the employment minister, government is working to address the issue of strike permanently in the judicial service, saying it is disrupting justice delivery in the country.
He noted that the country must work toward a system where workers strike for only one or two days and they are back to work as it exist in Europe.
Mr. Iddrisu said it was unacceptable for workers to strike for two weeks because “it affect productivity and sometimes can endanger lives.”
Credit: Pulse Ghana
