Ghana's labor commission sues striking lab technicians

Ghana's National Labor Commission (NLC) on Tuesday filed a suit at Accra High Court to compel striking members of the Ghana Association of Biomedical Laboratory Scientists (GABMLS) to return to work.

Charles Adongo Bawa Duah, Executive Secretary of the NLC, told the media the action of the workers violated the dictates of Ghana's labor laws.

The biomedical scientists began an industrial action on Monday to highlight their displeasure with government's non-implementation of the National Health Laboratory Policy meant to raise the quality of laboratory science practice.

The NLC had earlier ordered the association not to embark on its proposed strike "because it was illegal".

"If you look at the provisions of the law, it is very clear that where the Commission has made directives and the parties do not comply, the Commission ought to apply to the high court to enforce this," Duah stated.

He said it was very clear that persons engaged in essential services were prohibited by law to undertake a strike action and therefore members of the association were "acting in gross violation of the provisions of the law".

Ignatius Awimibumo, president of the GABMLS, told a press conference on Monday that they were "hesitant at striking for fear of possible deaths, but his outfit now believed the only way to persuade the Health Ministry was to resolve their issues is a strike action". Endit