Labour Unions and Government have been asked to adhere to the tenets of May Day to make its celebration meaningful.
Professor Edmund N. Delle, former National Chairman and Leader of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), who made the call on May Day in
Accra on Sunday said: “May Day celebration must not be considered as mere annual ritual for workers to march, but it must serve as critical
period for Government, Labour and Employers to recommit to its principles.
“We must reflect on issues as wages, working time, work organization and working conditions; safety and health at work and the environment as well as consider the sacrifices for the attainment of the eight-hour working period per day, right of workers to organise, well-fair of employees, right to decent working environment and other entitlements”.
May Day was officially founded in 1886, during a Chicago strike, and in 1889, the American Federation of Labor delegate to the
International Labor Congress (ILO) in Paris proposed May 1 as international Labor Day.
Prof. Delle, who is aspiring for the National Chairmanship slot of the CPP, expressed concern about the poor working environment at
most corporate bodies, lack of proper remuneration and the lackadaisical attitude of some employees.
He said: “The era of employees pretending to be working whilst employers pretend to pay them at the end of the months must give way to a new labour orientation….labour stakeholders must recognise their intertwined roles.
Focusing on the theme for the celebration: “Decent Work for Sustainable Economic Development,” Prof. Delle, who is the President
of Rabito Clinics, said ILO defines 'decent work' as productive work, which generates adequate income.
He said decent Work philosophy also required that workers' rights are protected and where there are adequate social protection providing
opportunities for men and women to obtain productive work in conditions of freedom, equality, security and human dignity.
Prof. Delle called on Government, labour and employers to use the platform of the celebration to create avenue for industrial peace for
accelerated development as intermittent strike actions retard economic progress.
“Our efforts at wooing investor to the country based on the nation’s peaceful political environment would not be successful if the
industrial front is not peaceful,” Prof Delle stated.