Human Resource (HR) practitioners have been advised to consider themselves as agents of change especially when applying the Labour Act 2003, Act 651.
Speaking during an HR Master Class in Accra, labour expert Mr Austin Akufo Gamey entreated HR practitioners to provide leadership qualities that effect change in their organizations.
In addition HR managers take the lead in protecting the interests of workers to ensure optimum productivity.
The four day master class organized by the Professional HR Centre is aimed at assisting HR managers to abreast themselves of the application of the various Labour Act 651 and L.I. 1822 that governs employment and labour relations in the country.
Emphasizing the need for corporate organizations to establish effective that would help in governing relationship with workers, Mr. Gamey quoted section 101 (2) which empowers a Standing Negotiation Committee to make rules to govern its proceedings.
“A standing negotiating committee referred to in subsection (1) shall make rules governing its procedure,” he stressed, and challenged HR professionals as members of negotiation committees, to lead in drawing up new rules that would help govern and enhance the relationship between management and workers.
He, however, bemoaned the absence of rules in many corporate institutions in the country, hence the increase in disputes between management and workers
An advantage of developing properly documented rules in an organization, he explained, helps significantly during disciplinary proceedings.
“If you are to go through disciplinary proceeding, the same rule that governs relationships and negotiation is the same rule that governs disciplinary proceedings. So there cannot be acrimony again,” he said.
Over 50 professional HR practitioners drawn from various sectors including banking and finance, insurance, oil and gas, construction and the hospitality industry were taken through sections of the Labour Act which deal with topics such as negotiations, mediation, voluntary arbitration and compulsory arbitration.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Professional HR Centre, Dr. Jeff Bassey in an interview with ADR Daily noted the need for HR practitioners to stay relevant with current labour legislations.
He believes that professional HR managers would be able to perform effectively if their knowledge about these laws were enhanced through such regular trainings.
Benjamin Nana Appiah/adrdaily.com
