The National Association of Graduate Teachers, NAGRAT, says its decision not to attend the National Labour Conference is based on its conviction that the meeting was not meant to salvage the hardships facing the ordinary government employee.

President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu says, although the group was invited, it did not honour it over concerns it will yield no positive results.

“We were invited, but NAGRAT and other unions decided to boycott. This is because we think the conference is not a true reflection of the problems that confront us and looking at the nature of these challenges that have to do with skyrocketing prices, dwindling values of our real incomes, difficult economic situations that have bedevilled us as workers, unstable pensions, we do not think this is the time to be holding press conferences”

“But rather a time for labour leaders and government to sit down and find practical solutions that are addressing the work situations in relation to price hikes, simply increasing workers’ emoluments and salaries and payment of it timeously, so I don’t think we must be engaged in a meeting for romantic talks, but the time has come for us to face the issues and address them to the wherewithal of the Ghanaian worker”, he said on Eyewitness News.

The government on Monday, opened a two-day National Labour Conference under the auspices of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and its Tripartite Constituents.

The event is being organized at Kwahu-Nkwatia in the Eastern Region under the theme, “Strengthening Tripartism for Peaceful Labour Relations and Resilient Economy”, to shape conversations on the labour front.

Issues that are dominating the discussions include the state of the economy, conditions of service of public sector workers, public sector salaries, labour productivity, labour dispute prevention and resolution, and sustainable pensions for all.