High Court restrains Ghana Registered and Midwives Association from continuing with strike for 10 days

The Industrial and Labour Division of the High Court in Accra has placed an injunction on the nationwide strike declared by the Ghana Registered and Midwives Association (GRNMA).

In an order for interim injunction, the court, presided over by Justice Priscilla Dikro Ofori, described the strike as illegal, ordering the GRNMA to call it off with immediate effect.

The order by the court, which was granted on Thursday, June 5, 2025, followed an ex-parte application by the National Labour Commision (NLC).

The injunction will last for 10 days following which the NLC has the option of applying for a further injunction (if they wish) from the court, but it could only do so by serving notice to GRNMA.

In the order, the court restrained GRNMA, its executives,
officers, members, agents, servants, employees and other persons linked to the them from carrying on with their illegal strike.

“It is hereby ordered that the application is granted and the respondent herein, its executives, officers, members, agents, servants, employees and other persons linked to the respondent are hereby injuncted or restrained from carrying on their illegal strike with immediate effect,” Justice Ofori stated in her order.

The GRNMA had notified the NLC of its intent to embark on industrial action in a letter dated May 29, 2025, in protest over delays in the implementation of their 2024 Collective Agreement.

They accused the Ministry of Health and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) of failing to honour promises made to them, such as allowances, accommodation issues and workload.

However, the Commission, invoking its powers under Section 138 of the Labour Act, directed the association to suspend all planned actions—including wearing red bands and the eventual withdrawal of services—pending mediation.

While the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Finance all appeared before the Commission on June 4 for a scheduled meeting to iron out the issues, the GRNMA failed to attend and proceeded with the strike.

The NLC subsequently directed the GRNMA to immediately call off its strike and return to work after it declared the industrial action as illegal.

According to the Commission, the nurses and midwives failed to comply with the legal procedures required under Section 159 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).

The Ministry of Health also appealed to the nurses to return to work while negotiations continue, cautioning that the ongoing industrial action threatens to collapse the already overburdened public healthcare system but the strike continued taking a toll on healthcare delivery in the country, with some major hospitals struggling to provide basic services as some of the wards have been deserted.