The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) at the Tamale Teaching Hospital are determined to lay down their tools tomorrow, October 26, 2021 after negotiations with government according to the General Secretary of group, proved futile.
Frank Owusu Ansah, the Secretary, disclosed in an interview that the group had been engaging government since 2019 about their conditions of service, but could take it no longer when they realized it was not forthcoming.
“We have spoken to government, they haven’t come back to us. We have written letters yet no response. Our members are fed up and they feel they are useless.
“What we are asking for is not too much because they have given to other unions still in the health sector. So we are laying down our tools to make sure that government listens to us.
He accused government of being discriminatory because other unions who raised similar concerns have had their problems resolved while the HSWU’s lingers.
“We are all in the health sector but some other groups, within the period that we are asking, their condition of service have been reviewed twice, some were reviewed last year and it is being implemented. Why is it that ours is delaying?” he quizzed.
Earlier, the Northern Regional Chairman of the union, Abraham Amoh Raymond at the Regional Health Directorate on Monday October 25, said government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission had “put us too tight to the wall” in the process.
He urged the members to stay “resolute, fearless, focused and united to fight until all the union’s demands are met”.
Asked what impact their absence would have on service delivery, Mr. Owusu Ansah said “for us we think in any case the health service delivery can go on without us.”
However, their services cut across record keeping, mortuary, security, Information Technology (IT), maintenance, among others.
