Railway workers threaten fresh strike over 12 months of unpaid salaries

The Railway Workers Union of Ghana has announced plans to embark on a nationwide strike and picketing on September 30, 2025, should the Ghana Railway Company Limited fail to pay outstanding salary arrears dating back to October 2024.

The looming strike once again underscores the fragile state of Ghana’s railway sector, which has long been hobbled by underinvestment, ageing infrastructure and stalled expansion projects.

This latest threat comes only four months after railway workers staged an indefinite strike in May 2025 over seven months of salary arrears, an action which affected passenger services nationwide.

In a formal notice to the Greater Accra Regional Police Command dated September 15 and copied to 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 said members had been plunged into severe hardship after going a full year without pay.

They cited financial distress, broken families, health crises including strokes, the disruption of children’s education, and growing frustration among workers.

According to the union, repeated appeals to the Ministry of Transport and other authorities have yielded no progress.

It accused the government of failing to activate mediation, arbitration, or negotiation mechanisms outlined 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 letter said.

The union noted that it has given management until September 22 to show commitment to resolving the crisis, warning that it will invoke Sections 160 and 171 of the Labour Act to press home its demands if no action is taken.