The Railway Workers Union of Ghana has suspended its planned strike and peaceful picketing slated for September 30, 2025, after receiving a directive from the National Labour Commission (NLC).

In a letter to the Greater Accra Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, the union explained that the NLC had responded to its earlier correspondence dated September 16, 2025, and instructed that the planned action be halted to allow negotiations to take place.

“The Commission has directed that we suspend our intended action and appear for negotiations on September 30, 2025. We remain committed to this process and will honour the directive in good faith,” the union stated.

However, the union warned that if its grievances are not resolved during the talks, it will not hesitate to resume industrial action.

The group had earlier threatened a nationwide strike and peaceful demonstration over 12 months of unpaid salaries and entitlements. Wage arrears dating back to October 2024, they noted, have brought severe financial strain, broken homes, health complications, and disrupted children’s education.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has thrown its weight behind the railway workers, giving government until September 30 to settle the arrears. TUC General Secretary, Joshua Ansah, emphasized the urgency of the matter, urging authorities to “find any means” to clear the outstanding debt.

 Read the full statement below:

Source: Adomonline

ALSO READ:

• Railway Workers threaten strike over 12 months of unpaid salaries
• Ministry of Transport pledges to resolve Railway Workers’ salary arrears
• TUC threatens nationwide strike over salaries owed Railway Workers

General Secretary of the TUC, Joshua Ansah, delivered the ultimatum on Wednesday during a press conference, highlighting the severe hardship the prolonged salary arrears have caused railway workers and their families.

“We have sent a notice to the government and the owner of the company that if by September 30 the 12-month outstanding salaries owed to our affiliate are not paid, TUC will embark on a strike,” Mr. Ansah warned.

He revealed that repeated appeals to the Ministry of Transport and other government officials have gone unanswered. While the state previously covered 70% of railway workers’ salaries, this support has been reduced, leaving the Ghana Railway Company and its staff in crisis.

The TUC also called for the suspension of the planned October 1, 2025, commissioning of the Tema–Mpakadan Railway line, announced by Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe. The union argued that railway operators themselves were unaware of the planned event.

This follows the Railway Workers Union officially notifying the Greater Accra Regional Police Command of its intention to strike and picket on September 30 due to the government’s failure to pay salaries since October 2024.

Reaffirming the TUC’s solidarity with the workers, Mr. Ansah said: “The union itself was founded on railway land, and we have a duty to ensure fair treatment and timely pay for railway staff.”

Source: Adomonline

ALSO READ:

• Railway Workers threaten strike over 12 months of unpaid salaries
• Tema-Mpakadan railway to open on October 1 – Transport Minister

In a formal notice to the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander dated September 15, 2025, the union said members are facing extreme hardship due to the prolonged delays. The letter, sighted by GraphicOnline, described the situation as causing “severe financial distress, family breakdowns, health crises including strokes, disruption to children’s education, and general frustration among workers.”

Union leaders said multiple engagements with the Ministry of Transport and other relevant authorities have produced no results, accusing stakeholders of failing to initiate negotiation, mediation, or arbitration processes as provided under Section 161 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).

“The current state of affairs has created uncertainty for both the company and its employees,” the union lamented.

The notice was copied to the National Labour Commission, Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Ghana Railway Development Authority, Trades Union Congress, and Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport. The union warned that if no concrete action is taken by September 22, 2025, it will invoke Sections 160 and 171 of the Labour Act to enforce its rights.

Workers from Tema, Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tarkwa are expected to join the protest. Planned activities include picketing at the Ministry of Transport, submitting a petition to Parliament, visiting the Ghana Railway Development Authority, and concluding at the Trades Union Congress headquarters.

The union assured that the exercise will be peaceful and requested police support to ensure security.

This latest threat of industrial action comes just months after railway workers went on an indefinite strike in May 2025 over seven months of unpaid wages, which disrupted passenger rail services nationwide. Although that strike was suspended following government intervention, the union says its key concerns remain unresolved.

Source: Adomonline

ALSO READ:

• Railway workers embark on indefinite strike over 7 months’ unpaid salaries

• Railway workers cry over no money to buy fuel

The industrial action, led by the Railway Workers’ Union in Accra, is set to begin on Tuesday, May 13.

On Monday morning, workers in Accra wore red attire and carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We have not been paid for seven months,” “We have not had an increment for three years,” “Where are our salaries?” and “Railway sector needs investment now,” among others.

Speaking to reporters, the Accra Branch General Secretary of the Railway Workers’ Union, Franklin Cobbinah, said:
“For seven months, we have not been paid, and we have not heard anything tangible from our management. So we are giving them till the close of today.”

“If we do not hear from them, we will advise ourselves. The workers will be coming to work, but nobody will be touching anything. The morning train that runs from Tema to Accra—we will stop that train. Not just in Accra. In Tarkwa, we will do the same. In Tema, Takoradi, Kumasi—they will all do what we are doing here,” he stated.

He added:
“We are about 967 workers, and not one has been paid for seven months. Just imagine: if you have a wife and even one child, look at the utility bills—we can’t afford it. We want the management to come and tell us why we have not been paid.”

In a statement signed by its Godwill Ntarmah, the union expressed unhappiness about the continuous undermining of the operations of the Ghana Railways Company Limited (GRCL) by the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA).

“The Railway Workers Union has over the years complained about the Railway Act, Act 779 which among other things transfers the assets hitherto under the care of GRCL to GRDA. Series of appeals for this Act, to be reviewed, since GRCL continues to be a going concern has so far not yielded the desired results. The GRDA as a result has taken undue advantage of this Act and is perpetrating acts that are detrimental to the survival of GRCL”.

Some of the actions the union said are against the GRCL are “supervising and loading of three trucks load of scraps of rails and sleepers at Kaase in the Ashanti Region for sale, a recent directive to take over some Bungalows at Kumasi by 31st August, 2022 in spite of the fact that officials of GRCL and their families occupy such Bungalows, denying the GRCL from collecting rents on the operators who are on railway lands as previously being done by GRCL and attempting to load and dispose of scraps of rails and sleepers at Kumasi railway station on 9th August, 2022 something the railway workers at Kumasi fiercely resisted and it’s hanging currently”.

The union added that it’s very much aware of a directive from the Minister of Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, for all scraps to be collated and a public auction made to dispose of them.

It warned the Ghana Railway Development Authority that it will take an action against its unfair treatment of the Railway Company.

“We are very much aware of a directive from the Hon. Minister for Railways Development for all scraps to be collated and a Public Auction made to dispose of it, so why the piece meal approach for its disposal and sale. It must be noted that in all these arrangements, the interest of the GRCL is not considered.”

Furthermore, it said “currently, the GRCL is heavily indebted to a number of institutions as it sometimes borrows from the Banks and its major client the Ghana Manganese Company to effect payment of salaries and purchase of fuel etc. More so, payment for June and July [2022] salaries were paid just today 11th August, 2022. Adding to the above, the GRCL is operating the shuttle service from Accra to Tema and Kojokrom to Takoradi at a loss as those services are considered more of a social service than a commercial venture without any support from any angle to even purchase fuel for such operations. The GRCL could have taken advantage from the sale of scraps and collecting of rents etc. to support its operations, if the Assets were to be in its care.”

In view of the foregoing, the leadership of the Union said it is left with no option but to say enough is enough and thereby take an action if the Ministry of Railways Development does not call the GRDA to order and ensure an amicable solution to the challenges enumerated.

Mr Quartey has explained some of these workers have contributed to the encroachment of railway lands in the country.

He said information available to him indicates these workers have leased the lands to people which in a way grants them authorisation to live there.

A situation he says has made evacuation of people along these areas difficult as part of measures to decongest Accra.

The Minister, who doubles as the Ayawaso Central Member of Parliament, made the disclosure on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show.

ALSO READ:

• G/R Minister exposes some MPs over relocation of onion sellers [Audio]

• Abossey Okai, Kokompe spare parts dealers to be relocated

“When we were demolishing structures at the Nkrumah avenue, some of the encroachers came to confront and told us some of the staff have sold the lands, leased and built structures for sale and did not understand why we have come to decongest the place,” he said.

He also announced they have begun investigations into the issue, adding that he will make the names available to the Railway Minister, Peter Amewu for the culprits to be punished once they are through.