The Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL) has clarified that the Trades Union Congress (TUC) no longer holds the legal status as the sole mouthpiece of organised labour in Ghana, following legislative changes made in 2003.

Speaking on Accra 100.5 FM’s Ghana Yensom morning show on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, GFL General Secretary Mr. Abraham Koomson explained that the Industrial Relations Act of 1965 (Act 299), which designated the TUC as the accredited representative of the labour movement, was repealed and replaced with the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).

He noted that the original law was inconsistent with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, which promote freedom of association, and conflicted with the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

Mr. Koomson pointed out that the Labour Act of 2003 replaced the TUC’s monopoly with a broader concept of “Organised Labour.”

However, the new law did not provide a legal definition for Organised Labour, leaving a vacuum that the TUC, according to him, has continued to exploit by positioning itself as the sole representative of Ghanaian workers.

“By law, the TUC is just one of many labour unions in the country. It is not the embodiment of Organised Labour,” Mr. Koomson emphasised.

He added that the GFL challenged the TUC’s position in court in 2013, resulting in a consent judgment in 2016 that reaffirmed the need for a more inclusive structure for organised labour.

He further criticised the government for failing to provide a clear definition and institutional framework for Organised Labour, a gap that has enabled the TUC to continue assuming a central role.

Mr. Koomson stressed that this stance violates ILO conventions and Ghana’s constitution, both of which safeguard workers' rights to freely associate.

Responding to these claims on the same programme, the President of the TUC, Bernard Owusu, dismissed Mr. Koomson’s assertions and urged the public to disregard them.

He insisted that the TUC has no issues with the GFL but accused Mr. Koomson of trying to sow division within the labour movement.

“He’s just being a destructive element,” Mr. Owusu said, reiterating that the TUC remains committed to protecting the interests of all Ghanaian workers.