GRNMA threatens strike over delayed agreement implementation

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has announced a series of industrial actions beginning June 2, 2025, in protest against the government’s failure to implement their Collective Agreement signed in 2024.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, May 28, the Association said the continued delay in enforcing the agreement is a disservice to its members and jeopardizes the quality of healthcare delivery across the country.

According to the GRNMA, the planned actions will begin with members wearing red arm and head bands on June 2 and 3. This will be followed by the withdrawal of Out Patient Department (OPD) services from June 4 to 8, and a complete withdrawal of all services starting June 9, 2025.

“The said Collective Agreement was signed in May 2024 between the GRNMA representing the entire nursing and midwifery fraternity in Ghana on one part and the employer, represented by the Ministry of Health and its agencies, the Ministry of Finance and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission on the other,” the statement noted.

The Association acknowledged that legal proceedings by a section of its membership delayed implementation, but pointed out that a court ruling in January 2025 cleared the path for enforcement.

Despite several follow-ups through letters and in-person engagements with relevant ministries, there has been no progress.

“One year on, our Collective Agreement is still not implemented and although we recognize the fact that a section of our fraternity had taken the matter to court and delayed the implementation, judgement was given by the court in January 2025 and we have followed up with letters and in-person visits to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health since then to no avail.

“At this point in time, Ghanaian nurses and midwives are tired of excuses that the leadership has been making on behalf of the employer, and leadership is equally tired of the excuses from the employer,” the Association said.

The GRNMA has urged all nurses and midwives in the country to fully comply with the outlined schedule of industrial actions to demand what they describe as their due.

“We are therefore setting out the following road map of industrial actions and call on every nurse and midwife in Ghana to follow it to the latter,” the statement said.