Air Traffic Safety Engineers Give Notice of Strike Over Welfare, HR Disputes at GCAA

The Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association (GhATSEA) has issued a formal notice of its intention to embark on a strike action, citing unresolved welfare concerns, alleged bad-faith negotiations, and long-standing human resource irregularities at the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

In a statement signed by its President, Engr. David Annan Mensah, the Association said the decision to strike follows years of failed dialogue, mediation, and arbitration, despite what it describes as repeated attempts to engage management in good faith.

The notice, issued in line with Sections 159 and 160 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), gives the required seven-day statutory notice for a lawful strike. GhATSEA warned that if all outstanding issues are not fully resolved by January 15, 2026, its members will “lay down their tools.”

Dispute over “essential worker” status

A key point of contention raised by the Association is what it describes as inconsistent positions taken by GCAA management regarding the status of its members.

GhATSEA recalled that in 2016, when a dispute was referred to the National Labour Commission (NLC) through its lawyer, Samson Lardy Anyenini, GCAA management — led at the time by Director of Human Resources Mr. Ebenezer Sagoe — argued firmly that air traffic safety electronics engineers were non-essential workers.

However, the Association says management has now reversed that position in a fresh referral to the NLC, this time claiming GhATSEA members are essential workers, a move the engineers believe is intended to weaken their right to industrial action.

“This contradiction raises serious questions about consistency, credibility, and good-faith labour relations,” the statement said, describing management’s posture as one driven by convenience rather than principle or law.

Board-directed talks fail to yield results

GhATSEA disclosed that following its announcement of a planned industrial action in October 2025, the GCAA Board directed management to engage the Association in negotiations to resolve outstanding welfare issues.

The Association said it suspended its intended strike on the strength of assurances that discussions would be conducted in good faith and that any agreements reached would receive full Board approval.

However, according to GhATSEA, the subsequent meeting between its Executive Council and management ended without any agreement, proposal, or indication of commitment, contrary to the Board’s directive.

The Association noted that a similar pattern occurred in September 2025, when management intervened to stop a planned industrial action, only to abandon commitments once the strike threat was withdrawn.

Allegations against Director of Human Resources

Central to the dispute are allegations of persistent inequitable job placement and salary distortions under the supervision of Mr. Ebenezer Sagoe, the Director of Human Resources.

GhATSEA detailed several instances dating back to 2012, where members recruited with HND qualifications were improperly placed on junior staff status, contrary to engineering organograms and public-sector standards. Although the issue was corrected on multiple occasions following interventions by successive Director-Generals, the Association says the same practice was repeatedly reinstated.

The statement further alleged that in 2022, some members recruited with BSc degrees were placed on Salary Level 4, the lowest senior staff grade, and remain there despite repeated petitions.

Salary distortions and morale concerns

Beyond placement issues, the Association raised concerns about what it described as unfair salary administration, including minimal gaps between some salary levels, disproportionately wide gaps between others, and cases where newer employees allegedly earn more than earlier recruits at the same or higher levels.

GhATSEA warned that these distortions have undermined morale, professionalism, and trust in the institution’s human resource systems.

Demands and safety warning

Among its key demands, GhATSEA is calling for the full implementation of the Dr. Imoro’s Report, which was commissioned following earlier industrial unrest to address salary disparities, as well as the immediate implementation of a Promotional Needs Petition submitted to management in July 2025.

The Association also reiterated its call for decisive action regarding the leadership of the Human Resources Directorate, arguing that unresolved technical and welfare issues affecting air traffic safety personnel could have serious implications for Ghana’s airspace operations.

“We must stress that unresolved technical and safety personnel issues will affect the integrity of Ghana’s airspace operations,” the statement warned, urging the GCAA Board to intervene to protect national safety, operational efficiency, and industrial harmony.

 

 

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