The National Labour Commission (NLC) has declared the planned strike by the Ghana Air Traffic Safety Electronics Association (GhATSEA) illegal and ordered it to be called off immediately.
The decision came after an emergency meeting on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, involving the NLC, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and GhATSEA, ahead of the industrial action scheduled to begin on Thursday, January 15.
The planned strike was announced by GhATSEA in protest over salary discrepancies and the demand for the removal of the Director of Human Resources at the GCAA.
However, the NLC ruled that GhATSEA is an association and not a registered labour union recognised under Ghana’s labour laws. The Commission said the group therefore lacks the legal capacity to declare or undertake strike action.
According to the NLC, the issues raised by GhATSEA fall within the scope of an existing Collective Agreement, which only a recognised union can negotiate or enforce.
The Commission also ruled that GhATSEA has no legal right to appear before it or institute industrial action. The NLC directed that individual members who feel aggrieved should use the grievance procedures outlined in the applicable Collective Agreement.
The GCAA, while acknowledging the ruling, reiterated its commitment to staff welfare and human capacity development.
The NLC’s intervention prevents disruption to air traffic operations in Ghana and reinforces the legal requirements for industrial action in the aviation sector.
