The National Labour Commission (NLC) has declared as illegal a planned strike by the Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association (GhATSEA), ordering the group to immediately call off the action over what it describes as clear breaches of Ghana’s labour laws.

The directive followed an emergency meeting held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, involving the NLC, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and GhATSEA, after the Association announced plans to embark on an indefinite strike beginning Thursday, January 15.

The planned action was in protest against alleged salary disparities and a demand for the removal of the Director of Human Resources of the GCAA

In its ruling, the Commission held that GhATSEA does not have the legal capacity to declare or embark on a strike, stressing that the group is an association and not a registered labour union recognised under Ghana’s labour framework. As such, it cannot negotiate collective agreements or institute industrial action.

The NLC further noted that the intended strike contravenes Regulation 20(e) and (h) of the Labour Regulations, L.I. 1833. According to the Commission, the grievances raised by GhATSEA fall within the scope of an existing Collective Agreement, which only a recognised union has the legal authority to negotiate or enforce.

The Commission also ruled that GhATSEA lacks the capacity to appear before the NLC and, therefore, has no legal standing to declare a strike. Instead, it directed that individual members who feel aggrieved should channel their concerns through the grievance procedures outlined in the applicable Collective Agreement and through the recognised union.

The NLC added that once such issues are formally brought to the attention of GCAA management through the appropriate channels, they should be addressed expeditiously in line with established labour processes.

In a statement issued on Thursday, January 15, 2026, following the ruling, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, confirming the ruling, said it remains committed to staff welfare and human capacity development, while ensuring the smooth and safe operation of the country’s aviation services.

The decision by the NLC effectively averts potential disruptions to air traffic operations, reinforcing the Commission’s role in maintaining industrial harmony in critical sectors of the economy.

Source:TheDotNews