Put Politics Behind And Work Hard - TUC

Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has advised the labour unions to put their party affiliations behind them and help formulate effective economic vision to support the development of the country. �The Election Petition is over, let�s unite as one people and come out with clear cut vision as a country and work hard to implement the vision to help improve the livelihood of the ordinary person,� he said. Mr Asamoah was speaking at the opening of a five-day basic trade education for TUC youth leaders and selected members from the three northern regions in Tamale. Participants at the training, which is being funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (RLF), would be schooled in various issues including history of trade union, labour legislation, productivity and work ethics, occupational health, safety and environment, leadership training and trade union communication skills. Mr Asamoah urged workers to maximize their productivity to justify the need for employers to increase their wages. He said high employees� productivity depended on the employers� ability to provide the necessary tools and conditions for them to work while the Union used the means available to fight for their interests. �The income of the ordinary worker is not enough to cater for the needs and that of the family. We are yet to feel the positive effect of the middle income status of the country in our pockets,� he said. According to him, �Sometimes we are made to believe that all the saying about national growth is just concocted mathematics�. Dr Clause-Dieter Koenig, Country Director of RLF, said the training would help participants to be abreast with the rights and responsibilities as youth serving at various leadership positions. He advised them to educate other members on what they had learnt and should also try as much as possible to implement what they had been taught.