GRNMA defies court ruling; says strike will continue until official notice

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) says it has not yet received any official court documents ordering an end to its nationwide strike, despite an injunction reportedly secured by the National Labour Commission (NLC).

The NLC obtained an interlocutory injunction from the High Court’s Industrial and Labour Division in Accra on June 5, 2025, which declared the ongoing strike illegal. However, GRNMA maintains that the industrial action will continue until they are formally served with the injunction.

In an interview with Citi News on Friday, June 6, the association’s Public Relations Officer, Joseph Krampah, clarified the group’s stance. He stressed that while they respect the legal system, they cannot act on information that has not been officially delivered.

“They assume they can just serve us a letter; we cannot stop them, but what defines an illegal strike? When has the Labour Commission in Ghana declared this strike legal? A strike becomes illegal only if the proper office was not notified, and we did notify them, there was a formal letter,” Krampah explained.

The strike began as a protest to demand the full implementation of the 2024 Collective Agreement, which covers long-standing issues such as unpaid allowances and delays in staff postings. The ongoing industrial action has led to widespread disruptions in healthcare delivery across the country.

The P.R.O. also questioned the basis of the NLC’s court action, insisting that GRNMA had followed the correct procedures before declaring the strike. “If they consider the strike illegal and seek an injunction, that is their responsibility, and we have great respect for both the court and the NLC. We are law-abiding citizens. However, since we have not yet received any official notice, none of our executives have been served with such documents. Until then, aluta continua,” he added.

The phrase “Aluta continua,” meaning “the struggle continues,” has become a rallying cry for the union, which shows no signs of backing down until due legal procedures are followed and their demands are addressed.