Government has been called upon to suspend the move to privatize the various laboratories in government health facilities for consultations and dialogue with medical laboratory unions.
The Unions demanded to know if the move would render them redundant, retreanched or throw them out of job.
The call was made by the General Secretary of the Medical Laboratory professionals Association Mr Ceaphas Kofi Akortor at a special Annual General Meeting of Medical Laboratory professional Workers ‘ Union at Fumesua near Kumasi in the Ashanti region .
Mr Akortor Expressed worry over lack of posting for some of their members who have been trained as Doctors in medical laboratory technology and have been sitting at home for several years a situation he described as unhealthy.
He said there was a national health laboratory policy in 2013 which sought to deal with issues of standardization, human resource and management of the profession in general but all these are yet to materialize.
He mentioned other challenges confronting the union such as lack of quota for members for further studies, as well as bargaining power which hitherto was not available for the union.
In an address the Deputy minister for Employment and Labour Relations Hon Wireko Brobbey reminded Labour unions not to go to the negotiations table with prejudice mind or they would walk away empty handed. Negotiations must be a win-win affaire and not a platform to make government of the day unpopular by taking entrenched positions resulting to protracted agitation and strike action.
He noted that in instances where executives of unions come to terms with government
on grounds that that their demands could not be met due to lack of fiscal space, union members turn to point accusing fingers at their leaders of being compromised.
This Hon Wireko Brobbey said does not ugar well for negotiations.
He however lauded MELPWU for their patience, tenacity and determination during their quest to break away from the mother union. The Deputy Minister pledged to continue to push for welfare of the various unions including MELPWU so long as he remains in government since the work of the laboratory technician is very crucial in health care delivery.
