The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has claimed that his campaign for reforms in Ghana’s labour relations framework helped weaken the dominance of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), creating opportunities for independent workers’ organisations to emerge and represent their members.
Mr Koomson said approximately 150 new unions had emerged following changes to Ghana’s labour relations framework, which he attributed to efforts to open up the labour movement and give workers greater freedom to organise independently.
Speaking on Yepe Ahunu on Ahotor 92.3 FM with Nana Dogbe on Saturday, October 10, 2026, Mr Koomson recounted his involvement in the campaign that preceded the passage of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).
He argued that the previous labour relations system gave the TUC a dominant position, making it difficult for independent workers’ organisations to gain recognition and effectively represent their members.
According to him, the TUC’s historical role in Ghana’s independence struggle contributed to its influence in the labour movement. However, he said he became dissatisfied with what he considered inadequate representation of workers, particularly amid company closures and deteriorating working conditions.
“The leadership there were not representing the interests of workers,” he said, explaining his motivation for pushing for reforms.
Textile Union became a turning point
Mr Koomson identified the registration of the Textile Union in 1993 as a significant moment in his campaign for a more open labour movement.
He said the union operated outside the TUC structure at a time when the Congress had 17 national unions. According to him, efforts to affiliate the Textile Union with the TUC were unsuccessful, which strengthened his resolve to pursue changes to the existing framework.
He recalled that he had hoped the Textile Union would become the TUC’s 18th national union but said the organisation was not admitted. He attributed the rejection partly to concerns about his outspoken approach to labour issues.
Mr Koomson said the experience reinforced his belief that workers should be free to establish organisations capable of representing their interests without unnecessary restrictions.
He added that international labour standards, including relevant International Labour Organization conventions, informed the campaign for greater freedom of association.
His efforts, he said, contributed to the passage of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which provides the legal framework for trade union organisation, workers’ rights and collective bargaining in Ghana.
‘But for me, NAGRAT wouldn’t have been there’
Mr Koomson also claimed that his activism helped create opportunities for other workers’ organisations, including the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT).
“But for Abraham Koomson and his union, Textile, NAGRAT wouldn’t have been there,” he said.
He referred to other professional and sectoral organisations, including teachers’ and nurses’ groups, arguing that changes to the labour relations framework gave such bodies greater opportunities to pursue their members’ interests through collective bargaining.
He further credited his efforts with helping bring together independent labour organisations to establish the Ghana Federation of Labour, which he described as the country’s second labour centre.
According to him, the federation emerged partly in response to difficulties he encountered within the existing labour structure and the need for an alternative platform for organised labour.
Mr Koomson also recounted what he described as threats and a serious road accident during his activism. He alleged that after his vehicle somersaulted on the motorway, some people believed he had died and searched hospitals for him.
These accounts formed part of his recollection of the risks he said he faced during the campaign and have not been independently verified.
Raises concerns about proliferation of unions
Mr Koomson said the changes to the labour relations framework had contributed to the emergence of numerous independent workers’ organisations, estimating that approximately 150 new unions had been established.
He argued that the development reflected workers’ desire to form organisations that could independently represent their interests and negotiate better conditions of service.
However, despite taking credit for the expansion of independent unions, he expressed concern about the proliferation of workers’ organisations, which he estimated to number nearly 200.
He suggested that the fragmentation of organised labour was partly linked to the failure of established labour leaders to accommodate alternative voices and concerns within the movement.
Mr Koomson maintained that a more inclusive approach in earlier years might have reduced divisions and strengthened cooperation among workers’ organisations.
He said the history of the struggle for labour reforms deserved wider public discussion to help workers understand how Ghana’s current labour relations system developed.
He maintained that the central objective of the reforms was to guarantee workers greater freedom of association and ensure that their concerns received meaningful attention.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah