The Railway Workers Union of Ghana has served notice of a strike and picketing on September 30, 2025, if the Ghana Railway Company Limited fails to clear 12 months of salary arrears dating back to October 2024.
In a formal notification to the Greater Accra Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, dated September 15, 2025, the union said its members have been plunged into severe hardship as a result of the unpaid entitlements.
The letter, seen by GraphicOnline, described the situation as “grave hardship, including financial distress, broken homes, health complications such as strokes, disruption of children’s education, and general frustration.”
According to the union, multiple attempts to resolve the crisis through the Ministry of Transport and other relevant bodies have yielded no tangible action. It accused authorities of failing to trigger any of the lawful processes of negotiation, mediation, or arbitration 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 said.
The notice was also copied to several institutions, including the National Labour Commission, the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, the Ghana Railway Development Authority, the Trades Union Congress, and Parliament’s Select Committee on Transport.
The union has warned that if no concrete steps are taken by September 22, it will proceed under Sections 160 and 171 of the Labour Act to enforce its rights.
Workers from Tema, Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tarkwa are expected to participate in the industrial action. Plans include picketing at the Ministry of Transport in Accra, submitting a petition to Parliament, proceeding to the Ghana Railway Development Authority, and concluding at the Trades Union Congress headquarters. The union assured that it would conduct the exercise peacefully and in full compliance with public order regulations, requesting police assistance for security.
This looming action comes just months after railway workers staged an indefinite strike in May 2025 over seven months of unpaid wages, which paralysed passenger services nationwide. That strike was only suspended after government intervention, but the union says the underlying issues remain unresolved.
The Railway Workers Union reiterated its readiness to maintain peace during the protest but stressed that its members could no longer endure the worsening conditions.
