SAVE US FROM PRIVATE HOUSE CONTRACTORS, MIGRANT WORKERS CRY FOR GOV’T INTERVENTION.

 

In labor migration, Migrant Workers both skilled and unskilled migrant workers are facing a lot of challenges in all sectors at labor market especially in the COVID-19 pandemic situation according to the Migrant Labor General Workers’ Union International (MLGWUI).

The Association in the commemoration of the May Day 2021 global international workers’ day disclosed this in a press release.

“In 2021, MLGWUI’s concern focuses on the private house building construction sector where both skilled and unskilled migrant workers become prey in the hands of many employers and house owners”

“Our research indicates that many employers are using Migrant Workers as cheap labor and even paying these workers GHC11.82 insisting that it is the normal minimum daily wage of the country.”

In view of this, the Migrant Workers at house building construction sites in collaboration with Migrant Labor General Workers’ Union International (MLGWUI) are therefore calling on the government through the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations to meet private house building contractors to consider the introduction of a New Fixed Minimum Daily Wage for private Construction Migrant and Indigene Workers.

“The directive we are seeking will help both foreign and Ghanaian skilled and unskilled workers such as masons, steel binders, carpenters, electricians, drivers, welders and general laborers who work on daily schedules not to be paid as monthly salary earned workers”.

Among some major challenges encountered by these workers both Ghanaians and Foreigners are:

·         No remedy or compensation for an injured worker by employer/house owner

·         No job or social security fund towards been intimidated and beaten by Land Guards

Unlike industrial-based workers, many employers marginalize skilled and unskilled indigene and migrant workers in the private house building construction sector.

"As humans, we cannot survive without shelter or home and house building construction sector is becoming demanding and supplying the labor force sector especially in labor migration and regional integration".

Sadly, a Migrant worker could spend a scanty earned wage from the previous day whilst staying home over a period before a call to work only if their contact details are stored with a former employer otherwise, one has to migrate to place-to-place until they find another work elsewhere, They lamented.

“We have to contribute our social security funds and pay tax ourselves out of our daily wages”.

In this effect we are calling on Honorable Ignatius Baffoe Awuah Minister of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and all relevant stakeholders to institutionalize policies that will benefit the country as migration has helped other nations to progress

We are on African Heads of States especially the President of the Republic of Ghana to take into consideration the said sector as essential and to listen to Migrant Workers’ plights as a matter of urgency.

We want to congratulate the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for their enforcement of migrants complying with migration laws of the country.

We calling on them to extend their exercise into Refugee Camps like Liberia Camp in the Central Region.

Our research presumes that there might be undocumented immigrants moving as Asylum Seekers staying at camps could cause crimes.

MLGWUI would love to praise the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Protection to other African countries if she takes concrete step to remove all Economic Child Beggars from the streets and arrest parents or syndicates who promote Street Alms.

MLGWUI suggests to labor unions on the African continent to do inclusive May Day Awards to employers who have established harmonious industrial relationship between their workers and save pensioners by remembering them during May Day.