The Trust Hospital staff union celebrated its 10th anniversary last Wednesday in Accra, with management acknowledging the union’s role in turning around the struggling health facility while pledging continued support for workers.
Dr Henry Alhassan, Supervising Director and CEO of The Trust Hospital Company Limited, told the gathering that since his board was inaugurated a year ago, they had conducted checks, confirmed existing challenges, and instituted systems to correct them.
“The hospital is now a more settled place for workers,” Dr Alhassan said, though he cautioned that “we are not out of the woods—tremendous problems still exist.”
He assured staff of his full support, revealing that the hospital had reduced its losses from GH¢24 million to just GH¢3 million.
“This year is to make profit,” he declared. The CEO commended the union for being proactive and for motivating workers to work hard.
A turbulent beginning
The Trust Hospital began as the medical department of SSNIT before being hived off in 2010 to become a limited liability company.
With the exception of the then General Manager, every staff member was declared redundant. Those interested in continuing were re-engaged on significantly reduced salaries.
According to Dr Festus Nii Boye Boye, Chairman of the Professional and Managerial Staff Union (PMSU), two triggers sparked the move towards unionisation.
The first was that the General Manager remained the only staff member on SSNIT payroll, continuing to enjoy full benefits while the rest of the staff had their salaries slashed and most allowances dropped.
The second trigger came when a staff member asked about the reintroduction of the Provident Fund. Dr Boye Boye quoted the General Manager as replying, “I will not do it today, and I will not do it today.”
A cross-section of attendees
Secret meetings and intimidation
Staff began holding clandestine meetings outside hospital premises, mostly at Duncan’s and Buka restaurants in Osu, keeping their activities “watertight as a secret.”
They reached out to the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU), which authored a letter on April 1, 2016, informing management of the union’s formation.
Management responded four days later with a bulletin posted on notice boards, warning that “it is unethical for any staff member to discuss or disclose company-related matters to a third party without management’s consent.
“Staff from Human Resources, Procurement, Accounts and Administration were threatened with expulsion if they joined. “The tension within the hospital was so palpable that the executives were ostracised by both the administrative machinery and some staff,” Dr Boye Boye said.
Landmark achievements
Despite the opposition, the union has recorded significant achievements over the past decade.
The union has successfully negotiated salaries, allowances and emoluments, moving away from management’s unilateral decisions that existed before the union’s birth.
It was the architect and driving force behind the implementation of the Tier-3 staff pension scheme at Trust Hospital, and today, eight years after implementation, staff can confidently attest to good pension savings as well as a dependable back-up investment.
The union restored fuel allowance for staff who are on maternity or annual leave. Before the union was formed, the disciplinary committee comprised only management members or members appointed by management; the union changed the dynamics to ensure equal representation from both the union and management.
The union also ensured that corporate fabrics were provided to staff free of charge, whereas previously staff had to buy and sew the materials with their own resources.
A landmark victory came when the union convinced management to remove quotas placed on drugs for staff with chronic illnesses.
The union also introduced utility allowance for all classes of workers at The Trust Hospital.
A new era of partnership
The diabetes specialist stated that the current administration under Dr Alhassan has brought “incredible support and cooperation.”
“Until then, it was all suspicion, accusations and counter-accusations, and acrimony,” he said. “This partnership has removed the fear, tension and intimidation that characterised previous eras.”
Former ICU General Secretary Solomon Kotei, who was present at the celebration, tasked the union to continue working with management and iron out differences for the common good of all workers.
“Accept that being in the union comes with challenges, and you must be prepared for them,” Mr Kotei said.
He lauded members for sustaining the union for ten years and charged them to continue for the next decade. The event was attended by staff, former staff members, and well-wishers from other companies.
