The Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG) has called off its intended strike following a meeting with the National Labour Commission (NLC) on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, to address concerns about their conditions of service.
The strike, initiated by the Mortuary Workers on Tuesday, was prompted by unresolved issues related to their conditions of service, including low wages, poor working conditions, and a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).
In an interview with Citi News, Richard Kofi Jordan, the General Secretary of the Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana, assured that the workers would continue to provide their services.
“Our members are actually at post and we have communicated clearly to them to continue to work. We have only expressed an intention to strike, but it hasn’t started. Mortuaries are open, and our services are ready.”
“All those who have done funerals and are afraid that they might not have their bodies, I’m sorry to disappoint them; the bodies are there. Everybody should go pick up his/her body tomorrow, or Friday.”
The call-off of the strike is a welcome relief for Ghanaians, who rely on mortuary workers to provide essential services. The government has been urged to work with MOWAG to address the workers’ concerns and prevent future strikes.
Background
The Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana has been in a long-running dispute with the government over their conditions of service.
The workers have been demanding better wages, improved working conditions, and better PPE.
In October 2023, MOWAG threatened to go on strike if their concerns were not addressed. The government met with MOWAG representatives, but the meeting failed to resolve the dispute.