Members of the Medical Laboratory Professional Workers Union (MELPWU) have been ordered by the National Labour Commission to end their strike and negotiate with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

The strike which commenced on Monday, June 17 over better conditions of service is severely affecting patients needing laboratory services.

Despite the negative impact, the strike does not seem to be ending soon as members of the association have made a resolute decision to remain on strike unless their employer signs a memorandum of understanding to meet their demands.

The Laboratory workers, however, indicated that they will consult and communicate their decision in the coming days. Until then the strike continues.

Speaking with Channel One News in an earlier interview, the Ashanti Regional Chairman for the Ghana Association of Medical Lab Scientists, Dr. Eric Kofi Aidoo indicated that they are not ready to call off the strike based on mere assurances.

“We have not got an official notice to call off the strike. What we saw was somebody putting out there a circular which was not even meant for us. If you really want to do something with us, you need to write to the union and invite the union to come to the table, but you don’t put something malicious out there. Thinking that people will sympathise with you and all that, it’s not fair.”

“We have given you our terms, we have laid down something we feel you have to meet us on the way. We will call the strike off when we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. It’s not about assuring us that you will do this or that, we want to have something on paper, and we want things to reflect on our pay slips. Once we have all those things, we will call it off.”