GRNMA strike illegal; against Labor law, Health Charter – Austin Gamey

Labour consultant Austin Gamey has described the ongoing industrial action by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) as both unlawful and ethically unjustified.

Speaking on Morning Starr with Naa Dedei Tettey, Mr. Gamey stressed that the strike violates not only labour laws but also the professional and moral obligations of the healthcare union.

Mr. Gamey explained that under Ghana’s labour law and industrial relations practice, the GRNMA is not permitted to embark on a strike, especially given that an interlocutory injunction had been secured by the courts to prevent the action.

“They are actually punishing their customers. The customers that contribute to pay them at the end of the month are the sick people. They are their customers. So if your customers are sick and they’ve come to you by your own charter, their own health charter, they are not supposed to go on strike. By the labor law, they’re not supposed to go on strike. By the practice, they’re not supposed to go on strike. The courts have imposed upon them an interlocutory injunction that they should not go.”

He also emphasized the need for flexibility in industrial relations, noting that while agreements may be reached, economic realities sometimes necessitate adjustments.

“If I were to be them, I would have hidden myself behind that and go there and return to work in the first place. And then all of us can ask the employer to explain to us why they cannot implement it. And also, they must understand that there is always a level of flexibility in industrial relations. You can agree on something, but you can vary it again, because it is better to eat something every day than to eat all one day. I lead negotiations all the time.”

The strike, which began on Tuesday, June 4, has brought healthcare delivery to a near halt in over 300 public hospitals and clinics across all 16 regions of Ghana.

Emergency services are currently running at minimal capacity, scheduled surgeries have been postponed, and thousands of patients have been left stranded. Vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children seeking routine care have been disproportionately affected.

Reports from multiple regions indicate that some health facilities have recorded an 80–90% reduction in services, compounding pressure on an already stretched healthcare system.