Dr Yaw Sarpong, a member of the Technical University Senior Administrators Association of Ghana (TUSAG), has criticised the leadership of Organised Labour for failing to consult its members before making key decisions, particularly regarding the upcoming strike action against illegal mining, or galamsey.
His comments reflect a larger concern from a group known as “Concerned Members of Organised Labour,” which has expressed dissatisfaction with how the leadership communicated its decision to strike.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on October 7, 2024, Dr Sarpong highlighted the absence of proper consultation among unions, stressing that members input was crucial before any major decisions were made.
According to him, no proper information was given to him and other members about the upcoming strike scheduled for October 10.
“Anytime Organised Labour does such a thing, a communique is brought before the various unions, we meet members, they articulate their views and that will be tabled and at the end of the day, it will be given to leadership at the top. So, when there is any proposition, it will be informed by the various views that were expressed by these people, but our concern is that this was not done that way.
“Hurriedly, we hear that something of that sort is coming back on October 10. I am a member of Organised Labour, but nobody has told me anything. My union has not told me anything. So, I don’t think that is the way to go, that is our concern. Let us tread the right path and do things right so that at the end of the day whatever is put out there will be the view of everybody. Few people by virtue of the fact that you are in leadership, can’t just go and declare something without recourse to the people who are under you, that is not the way to go.
“Our only plea is that our people should come back to us and let us build some consultation, let us do some discussion among members so that we can have a collective view and then it will be pushed out there regarding the menace which, is affecting everybody,” he stated.
