The Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG) is set to embark on a nationwide strike effective Thursday, November 28, 2024, due to authorities’ failure to resolve outstanding grievances.
The association is demanding better service conditions, such as the provision of sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the payment of outstanding salary arrears, and financial clearance for the recruitment of 500 additional mortuary workers.
MOWAG in a statement accused authorities of showing a lack of commitment to addressing their concerns, despite numerous calls.
The planned strike comes after the association temporarily suspended an earlier industrial action on September 26, 2024, to allow for negotiations.
“Despite our efforts to reach a mutually acceptable resolution, the issues that led to the initial strike remain unresolved. We have been left with no choice but to take this decision to protect the interest of our members,” the statement read.
MOWAG has instructed mortuary workers in both public and private facilities across the country to halt operations indefinitely effective November 28. This action is expected to disrupt mortuary services nationwide, potentially affecting funeral arrangements and bereaved families.
Despite announcing the strike, the leadership of MOWAG says it remains open to dialogue, urging authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the impasse.
“We hope that even at this late stage, we can still resolve our differences through open and productive discussions,” the statement added.
It will be recalled that the association intended to strike on October 10, 2024, but later announced a postponement till further notice.
In an interview, MOWAG’s General Secretary, Richard Kofi Jordan, expressed the association’s frustration concerning the government’s handling of their demands.
He argued that the government is deliberately delaying the process by requesting unnecessary data from the association, a move he believes is intended to stall negotiations and avoid addressing the workers’ core concerns.
Jordan further explained that despite numerous efforts to engage with the government on these pressing issues over the past several years, the mortuary workers are still working under deplorable conditions, which put both their health and safety at risk.
He also stressed that the government’s lack of responsiveness has left MOWAG members with no choice but to consider industrial action as a means of compelling the authorities to take their demands seriously.
