Railway workers to strike September 30 over unpaid salaries
The Railway Workers Union of Ghana (RWU), under the Trades Union Congress (TUC-Ghana), has officially informed the Ghana Police Service of its plan to embark on a nationwide strike and peaceful picketing on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, to protest 12 months of unpaid salaries and entitlements.
In a letter dated 15 September 2025 and addressed to the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, the Union said the salary arrears dating back to October 2024 have inflicted severe hardship on railway employees and their families.
According to the RWU, the prolonged delays have caused broken homes, health complications such as strokes, and disruptions to children’s education, leaving many workers in dire financial straits.
The Union emphasised that repeated appeals to the Ministry of Transport and other relevant authorities have gone unanswered.
No negotiations, mediation or arbitration measures, as required under the Labour Act, have been initiated to resolve the crisis.
“By Monday, 22 September 2025, if no concrete measures are taken by the Ministry of Transport to address these issues, we shall proceed to act under Sections 160 and 171 of the Labour Act effective 30 September 2025,” warned Benjamin Essuman, RWU General Secretary.
The industrial action will see railway workers from Tema, Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Tarkwa converge for a peaceful procession.
The march will begin at the Ministry of Transport in Accra, move to Parliament to present a petition, proceed to the Ghana Railway Development Authority, and conclude at the TUC-Ghana headquarters.
The Union assured the police that the demonstration will be peaceful and law-abiding, and requested security support to safeguard both participants and the general public.
Copies of the strike notice have been sent to the Chief of Staff, Speaker of Parliament, National Labour Commission, Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Transport, Ghana Railway Company Limited and the Trades Union Congress, underscoring the Union’s determination to escalate the matter if immediate action is not taken to settle the year-long salary arrears.
