Organised Labour has criticised the National Labour Commission (NLC) over what it describes as the growing use of court injunctions to stop strike actions, despite workers complying with legal notification requirements.

The Secretary-General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) and spokesperson for Organised Labour, Joshua Ansah, argued that the practice weakens workers’ legitimate right to embark on industrial action and risks straining labour relations further.

Speaking at a forum reviewing two decades of the National Labour Commission’s operations, Mr. Ansah said labour unions are concerned about the Commission’s frequent resort to the courts whenever workers announce plans to strike.

He maintained that the right to strike is protected under international labour standards and stressed that organised labour only considers industrial action after all efforts to resolve disputes through dialogue have failed.

Mr. Ansah also expressed concern over increasing reports of job losses and dismissals across different sectors, warning that continued reliance on court injunctions could heighten tensions between employers and workers.

However, former Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Justice Asuman-Adu, defended the Commission’s approach, saying injunctions are only sought when labour unions fail to follow the procedures outlined under Ghana’s labour laws.

According to him, unions are expected to return to the Commission for further intervention if employers or government institutions fail to implement its directives, rather than proceeding with strike action.

He explained that where unions ignore that process and declare a strike, the Commission has the legal authority to seek an injunction from the courts.

The contrasting views underscore the continuing debate over how to safeguard workers’ right to strike while ensuring adherence to established labour dispute resolution procedures.