THE leadership of the Local Government Workers’ Union (LGWU) has added its voice to the current brawl which rocked the payment of the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme fund resulting in indefinite strike by public sector workers in the country.
The LGWU as part of other remaining unions which are also awaiting their license from the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) fully supports the legitimate claim by labour groups on the government to release the 2nd Tier fund to their fund managers.
While the leadership of the LGWU agrees with the provisions of the Act 766 especially on the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme payment to the workers groups, the LGWU takes serious exception particularly the payment of the fund to the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG) which is one of the groups asking for the payment to be made to it.
The General Secretary of LGWU, Joe Boahen noted: “The LGWU has a conflicting issue with CLOGSAG concerning membership of the two workers organizations. The issue of membership is a major bone of contention which has seen some members of the LGWU suffering double dues deductions from their salaries, and lately, some illegal deductions like CLOGSAG Fund”.
As leaders of the LGWU, he stressed that any payment made to CLOGSAG with regard to the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme Fund would have grave consequences for the LGWU members who are at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
“It is in this regard that the leadership of the Local Government Workers’ Union, LGWU is demanding an immediate suspension of the payment of the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme Fund to CLOGSAG. The suspension should be in force until the LGWU and CLOGSAG are able to clearly spell out their membership issues”, Mr Boahen quoted in a statement issued in Accra over the weekend.
He lamented that ; “the 2nd Tier Occupational Pension Scheme as the name suggests was employer-based. It therefore beats ones’ imagination why workers of a different employer in this case CLOGSAG who are employees of the Civil Service by virtue of PNDC Law 327 will attempt to register staff of another employer, that is the Local Government Service whose employees are with the LGWU under the Local Government Service Act, Act 656″.
According to him, the attempt by CLOGSAG to register members of LGWU under its Occupational 2nd Tier Pension scheme was a recipe for confrontation between the two groups.
This is because LGWU members are not workers of the Civil Service, so why should they be compelled by CLOGSAG to fill forms to be part of their scheme in the name of freedom of association.
This act by CLOGSAG is tantamount to unfair labour practice and a serious infringement on the fundamental rights and liberties of the members of LGWU, the General Secretary of the LGWU noted.
The Local Government Council by virtue of Section five of the Local Government Service Act, Act 656, 2003 has a representation of the LGWU on the Council, while the CLOGSAG is also represented on the Civil Service Council by virtue of PNDCL 327.
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