The Executive Secretary of the National Labor Commission (NLC), Ofosu Asamoah, has revealed that the court case levelled against the striking laboratory scientists at KATH will be withdrawn if they call off the ongoing strike.
Speaking in an interview, he disclosed that the Commission proceeded to court in their quest to get the members of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to call of the strike. He further said the next action will be taken after his outfit goes to court today, May, 28, 2021.
“We are going to court to get them to call off the strike. So, once they call it off it will be unnecessary to going to court to get an order to do all that we have done already. But having not done that, then in the circumstance, we must give them the orders.
“We are just preparing to go to court [today] and hopefully by the close of the day we will get to know where we stand. We took an application to compel them to call off the strike and resume duty.”
Ofosu Asamoah
However, he revealed that despite the directive by the commission for the Laboratory scientist to return to work and call of the strike, they did not heed to their directive.
Regional heads, hypocrites
Commenting on the regional heads of the GAMLS disassociating themselves from the strike, Mr. Ofosu Asamoah described their stance as hypocritical. He further asked them to call their members to go back to work.
“That is the highest level of hypocrisy. If you go tell people that I side with you and your reason for the strike is correct, you ought to be on strike too. You tell them you support but you have not declared the strike, what are you saying?
“If they didn’t call and they are national leaders, they are expected to call their people to order and tell them that it is only the national union and national executives who can.”
Ofosu Asamoah
He also averred that the Laboratory scientists cannot continue with the strike because the issue has been taken to court and it will be against the law for them to still continue.
This comes on the back of the National Labor Commission taking;the Laboratory scientists of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to court for flouting their orders.
Moreover, Ofosu Asamoah revealed the Health Ministry has written to them inviting the parties because,;they have been unable to resolve the issue. He explained that, the various authorities have to hear both sides of the issues and determine what to do. According to him, this does not only apply to this matter;but also issues that will pop up in the future in this regard.
“If not, the next time, we will hear that this hospital doesn’t like the leader they have been assigned. You will go to Winneba, they will also say they don’t like their departmental head. The law must work.”
Ofosu Asamoah
