By MOHAMED SALIM ROTEA
The Railway Workers Union of Ghana, part of the Trades Union Congress, has informed authorities of a planned lawful strike and peaceful picketing on September 30, 2025, unless the Ghana Railway Company Limited resolves 12 months of unpaid salaries dating back to October 2024.
In a letter dated September 15, 2025, sent to the Greater Accra Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, the union outlined its grievances. The document states that workers have not received due salaries or legitimate entitlements for the period, leading to financial distress, health complications such as strokes, disruptions to children’s education, and general frustration among families. “This unfortunate situation has plunged workers and their families into grave hardship, including financial distress, broken homes, health complications such as strokes, disruption of children’s education, and general frustration,” the letter reads.
The union reports that it has made repeated attempts to address the issue through discussions with the Ministry of Transport, under which the state-owned Ghana Railway Company Limited operates. However, the letter claims no actions have followed toward negotiation, mediation, or arbitration, as outlined in Section 161 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651). It describes the current state as one of uncertainty for both the company and its employees.
The notification comes after formal communications to several institutions, including the Chairperson of the National Labour Commission, the Chief Labour Officer of the Labour Department, the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport, the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Railway Company Limited, the Ghana Railway Development Authority, and the Trades Union Congress. The union specifies that if no concrete measures are taken by September 22, 2025, it will proceed under Sections 160 and 171 of the Labour Act.
Workers from locations including Tema, Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tarkwa plan to converge for the action. It will start with picketing at the Ministry of Transport in Accra, proceed to Parliament House to submit a petition, continue to the Ghana Railway Development Authority, and end at Trades Union Congress headquarters. The union commits to following all regulations to preserve public order and has requested police assistance for security.
This follows a similar indefinite strike in May 2025, when workers halted operations over seven months of arrears, affecting passenger services nationwide. That action ended after government intervention, but the union points to ongoing challenges in the fully state-run enterprise.
As of this report, the Ministry of Transport and Ghana Railway Company Limited had not issued a public response to the notice. Efforts to obtain comment from both entities were unsuccessful by publication time.
The union reiterated its intent to conduct the process peacefully, stating it will adhere to directives for harmony and order.
