The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) is set to build a multipurpose complex to be used as offices, hotel and shopping mall in Tema. The complex, set to be completed in two years would also serve as a training center for its members.
Solomon Kotei, General Secretary of ICU, disclosed this to journalists to highlight the activities marking the 60th anniversary of the union in Accra. He paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers whose toil and sweat have made ICU a very strategic asset in the economy today.
He said, before ICU came to being in the 1960s five different national groups decided to merge to form a strong and coherent union to become the leading labour union in Africa. With initial membership of 23,000, it scaled up to 46,000 within two years and from then on per dedicated and visionary leaders, ICU now has over 75,000 members nationwide.
The ICU’s General Secretary further disclosed that global dynamics and the current coronavirus (COVID 19) has made ICU to rethink to diversify its operations from the unionization of public entities, industries, banks, hotels and insurance companies to energy (oil and gas), automobile, agriculture etc to generate additional sources of income.
In a somber tone, Mr. Kotei said the devastating impact of COVID-19 has rendered unprecedented workers jobless globally and Ghana is no exception especially in the hospitality industry and as a result ICU has resolved to invest in other sectors that may give job security to its members like employment benefit, trust fund and insurance scheme.
Good leadership practices of the ICU enabled some members from the textile industry and the banks who left the union for one reason or the other had returned to the ICU fold and the ICU constitution makes provisions for that and hope few others who have not yet returned will follow suit.
He said, but for the COVID-19, there was going to be lectures and other activities to herald its birthday which fell on May 25, 2020 but notwithstanding the leadership and the National Executive Council will meet to see the way forward. “I wish all members of ICU a Happy Anniversary,” Mr. Kotei concluded.
