The General Secretary of the Industrial And Commercial Workers Union (ICU), Ghana, Morgan Ayawine, has charged workers in the country to promote peace ahead of the 2024 general elections.
In a statement issued to mark May Day, Mr. Ayawine said workers, especially the youth should not allow themselves to be used as conduits for fomenting trouble before, during, and after the elections.
The theme for this year’s May Day Celebration; Election 2024: “The Role of Workers and Social Partners in Securing Peaceful Elections for National Development”.
“Going by the media hype the various political players are giving to the 2024 elections, there is no doubt that this year’s elections are going to be crucial and tough or better still, the mother of all elections in the Fourth Republic democratic dispensation.
“As working class, we need peace to continue to work and earn our livelihood, since in the absence of peace we cannot attend to our work,” the statement added.
Read the full statement below:
2024 MAY DAY MESSAGE
GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS’ UNION (ICU), GHANA, MORGAN AYAWINE’S 2024 MAY DAY MESSAGE TO MEMBERS AND THE WORKING CLASS IN GENERAL
Comrades, my fraternal greetings to you and solidarity in the cause of your struggle as workers, as I join you to observe the institutionalized anniversary of the International Workers’ Day of Solidarity (May Day), which falls on the 1st of May each year.
The yearly celebration of this all-important and memorable day on workers’ calendar world-wide, is a solemn reminder of the rough and rugged path that our predecessors traversed close to one and a half centuries ago, to attain for us the industrial democracy that we are enjoying today as workers and leaders legally clothed to sit side by side with Employers and Government at the same table to negotiate terms and conditions of service among others for workers whose contribution to creation of wealth at workplaces and the Nation cannot be downplayed.
This legacy was bequeathed to us by our forerunners many, many years ago, through their sweat and blood, and we must jealously protect and guard against any employer who may want to short-change labour under the guise of global economic recession, when it has been established that economies and businesses are recovering and the outcomes are positive.
Whilst we work collaboratively with our social partners to increase jobs and protect same, it is pertinent to sound a note of caution to employers who indulge in such demeaning practices of converting permanent job positions to casual and contract work in a bid to maximize profit, to halt it outrightly, as it is not only demotivating but also unacceptable and may eventually backfire on them.
For the empathetic employers who share in workers’ pain and are doing their bit to alleviate the pains and suffering, we salute and appreciate them and encourage them to do more, and in the same measure workers should continue with their avowed commitment to working harder all year round, to ensure high productivity, profitability and sustainability of the employers’ businesses to achieve their organizational goals for the mutual good of both parties, and for the growth and development of the national economy.
We are not unaware of the post-COVID and Russian-Ukraine War ripple effect which almost dislocated the economy of Ghana. But, that notwithstanding, Government has a herculean task to put in place realistic and realizable economic measures that are sustainable and able to quickly turn around the current economic downturn hitting Ghanaian workers and the ordinary citizens of Ghana straight in the face.
The theme for this year’s May Day Celebration; Election 2024: “The Role of Workers and Social Partners in Securing Peaceful Elections for National Development”, could not have been more appropriate.
Going by the media hype the various political players are giving to the 2024 elections, there is no doubt that this year’s elections are going to be crucial and tough or better still, the mother of all elections in the Fourth Republic democratic dispensation.
As working class, we need peace to continue to work and earn our livelihood, since in the absence of peace we cannot attend to our work.
It is in light of this that the importance of the theme adopted by Organized Labour for this year’s May Day celebration cannot be overemphasized.
In essence, as workers, especially the youth, you should not, and cannot allow yourselves to be used as conduits for fomenting trouble before, during and after the elections.
Peace and stability, unequivocally, play a pivotal role in the socioeconomic and national development scheme of things. It is for this reason that it is incumbent on each and everyone in this country to work at securing peace in every sense of the word and in every facet of our lives especially during the pollical (election) season where peace could be easily compromised and then we may no longer have that peaceful country called Ghana.
The National Union (ICU-Ghana), therefore, wishes to take this opportunity to advise all workers to stay away from any person who would want to influence you to do acts that could undermine the peace and stability of the country in this year’s elections.
Let us remember and be proud of ourselves that Ghana is the beacon of democracy in Africa, an enviable record we must jealously guard and keep for good.
All in all, Ghanaian workers have done very well throughout the year and we do appreciate you. As a little appreciation goes a long way, today, ICU-Ghana want to give a shoutout to all workers of Ghana just because your hard work and positivity brighten our days.
Thank you for being awesome!
On this note, I SALUTE ALL OF YOU, GALLANT WORKERS OF GHANA and say “AYEKOO”, for your selflessness, sweat and sacrifices for mother Ghana.
LONG LIVE GALLANT WORKERS OF GHANA!
LONG LIVE ICU-GHANA!!
LONG LIVE MOTHER GHANA!!!
SOLIDARITY FOREVER
For and on behalf of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), Ghana
……………………………………
MORGAN AYAWINE
GENERAL SECRETARY
Cc: All Media Houses
