© University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST ORGANISING AND DECENT WORK CONDITIONS AMONG INFORMAL STONE QUARRY WORKERS IN GHANA MOSES SEGBENYA 2019 Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ©Moses Segbenya University of Cape Coast ii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST ORGANISING AND DECENT WORK CONDITIONS AMONG INFORMAL STONE QUARRY WORKERS IN GHANA BY MOSES SEGBENYA Thesis submitted to the Department of Integrated Development Studies of the School for Development Studies, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape Coast, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy degree in Development Studies MAY 2019 ii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui DECLARATION Candidate’s Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own original research and that no part of it has been presented for another degree in this university or elsewhere. Candidate’s Signature: …………………………. Date: ……………………. Name:…………………………………………………. Supervisors’ Declaration We hereby declare that the preparation and presentation of the thesis were supervised in accordance with the guidelines on supervision of thesis laid down by the University of Cape Coast. Principal Supervisor’s Signature: ……………… Date: ……………… Name:…………………………………………….. Co Supervisor’s Signature ……………………… Date: ……………… Name:………………………………………………. ii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ABSTRACT Informal workers as active agents could use collective identity as a means to achieve better working conditions for themselves. This study thus examined organising and decent work conditions among informal stone quarry workers in Ghana. The interpretivist approach and exploratory qualitative research design were adopted. A sample of 121 respondents from a population of 39,536 was selected from four districts. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to sample waged and self-employed quarry workers, representatives from the Labour Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Minerals Commission for the study. In gathering data, unstructured interview guide, focus group discussion guide, and a non-participant observation guide were the instruments used. Forty-seven (47) individual in-depth interviews, three group interviews and 12 focus group discussions were conducted. The study found that membership-based organisation was a temporal organising strategy for formal trade union organising which had only started in one quarry firm. Workers have signed a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with management. Indicators of existing working conditions of quarry workers which had decent work deficits per the labour laws of Ghana and International Labour Organisation’s decent work framework were found to be decent under the CBA yet to be implemented, suggesting that organising leads to decent working conditions. It was recommended that TUC should capitalise upon membership-based organisation forms in other quarries and among self-employed quarry workers to organise and represent informal quarry workers as a move towards decent working conditions. iii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui KEY WORDS Collective Agreement Decent Work Informal Workers Organising Quarry Workers Working Conditions iv Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have supported and contributed to this thesis. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my principal and co-supervisors, Dr. Angela Dziedzom Akorsu and Prof. Debdulal Saha who read through this research work edited and offered many constructive criticisms, guidance and suggestions that helped to shape the work to its present level. I wish to express my profound gratitude to Prof. A. O. Britwum, Prof. Christoph Scherrer, Prof. I.K. Galyoun, Mr Christian Mollmam, all lecturers and staff of School for Development Studies, University of Cape Coast, and International Center for Development and Decent Work, University of Kassel, Germany for their support throughout my PhD studies. Management and staff of Pilot Quarry Ltd, Executive Quarry Ltd, Sarcon Quarry Ltd and Melliss Quarry Ltd deserve commendation for allowing me to involve them in the study. Representative from Trade Unions, Labour Departments, Minerals Commission and Environmental Protection Authority who assisted in providing data for the study also deserve commendation. I am also thankful unto Mr. Samuel Hayford Ampofo Kwabia, Mr. Desmond Boahen, Mr. James Adzokatse and Madam Abla Vida Dzreh, and all others who have supported me in diverse ways. I have not forgotten my PhD mates at School for Development Studies and the support received from Sarfo, Emmanuel, Emmanuel Junior, Eunice, Amanda and Jennifer. God bless you all for your diverse supports. Finally, I am very much grateful to my lovely and supportive wife for her moral and prayer supports and taking care of the family to enable me to complete this study. v Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui DEDICATION To my lovely wife, Mrs. Dzifa Segbenya (Dzifa Atadika), and my children, Edem, Elorm and Senam. vi Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page DECLARATION ii ABSTRACT iii KEY WORDS iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v DEDICATION vi TABLE OF CONTENTS vii LIST OF TABLES xiii LIST OF FIGURES xiii_Toc34120809 LIST OF PLATES xiv LIST OF ACRONYMS xv CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Background to the Study 1 Statement of the Problem 12 Objectives of the Study 16 Research Questions 17 Significance of the Study 17 Delimitation of the Study 18 Limitations of the Study 18 Definitions of Terms 19 Organisation of the Study 21 CHAPTER TWO: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON INFORMALITY AND ORGANISING vii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui Introduction 24 Neo-Liberalism as an Extension of Capitalism 24 The Role of the State Under Neo-Liberal Policies 30 Neo-Liberalists Views and effect on the Labour Market 33 Rawls’ Theory of Justice 36 Institutional Theory and Informal Economy 44 Institutional Changes 47 Role of Institutions and Factors that Influence the Performance of Institutions 49 Theory of Collective Action 51 Chapter Summary 59 CHAPTER THREE: ILO’S DECENT WORK AGENDA AND LABOUR STANDARDS Introduction 61 Decent Work Concept/Agenda 61 Reproductive/Remunerative Employment as Decent Work Pillar 62 Social Security as a Decent Work Pillar 64 Workers’ Right as a Decent Work Pillar 66 Social Dialogue as a Decent Work Pillar 68 International Labour Standards Ratified by Ghana 71 Working Conditions and the Ghana Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) 72 Elimination of Forced and Compulsory Labour 72 Hours of Work 73 Rest Period 73 Minimum Wage 74 viii Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui Minimum Age and Protection of young Workers 75 Occupational Health and Safety 75 Leaves 76 Contract of Employment (Including Termination of Employment) 76 Organising 77 Collective Bargaining Agreement 78 Institutional Arrangement for the Labour Market 80 The ILO as a Labour Market Institution 81 The State as a Labour Market Institution 82 Trades Unions as a Labour Market Institution 84 The Ghana Employers Association as a Labour Market Institution 85 The National Tripartite Committee Ensuring Social Partnership in the Labour Market 86 Chapter Summary 87 CHAPTER FOUR: CONCEPTUAL AND EMPIRICAL PERSPECTIVES ON INFORMAL ECONOMY AND ORGANISING Introduction 88 The Meaning of Informal Economy 88 Approaches to Informality 91 Characteristics of Informal Economy and Factors Driving Informality 96 The Link Between Formal and Informal Economy 101 The Effects of the Informal Economy 103 Organising Efforts of Informal Workers 104 Organisational Challenges 106 ix Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui Organisational Innovation and Emerging Issues 109 Empirical Evidence on Stone Quarrying Activities and Organising of Informal Workers 112 Lessons Learned 121 Conceptual Framework 123 CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Introduction 125 Research Design 126 Study Area 129 Central Region 130 Population 133 Sample and Sampling Procedure 134 Data Collection 136 Instrument Design 138 Reliability and Validity 139 Entry Procedure 142 Ethical Issues 143 Field Work 145 Data Management and Analysis 146 Reflexivity 148 Chapter Summary 149 CHAPTER SIX: FORMS AND DRIVERS OF INFORMALITY AMONG STONE QUARRY WORKERS Introduction 150 x Digitized by Sam Jonah Library © University of Cape Coast https://erl.ucc.edu.gh/jspui Forms of Informality among Stone Quarry Workers in the Central Region of Ghana 150 Profile of Quarry Workers in the Selected Quarries in the Central Region 158 Perceived Drivers of Informality among Stone Quarry Workers 162 Chapter Summary 169 CHAPTER SEVEN: INFLUENCES OF EXISTING WORKING CONDITIONS ON ORGANISING AMONG INFORMAL STONE QUARRY WORKERS Introduction 171 Indicators of Decent Work 172 The Decent Work Deficit along Workers' Rights 183 Occupational Diseases in the Working Environment 200 Decent Work Deficit Under Indicators of Social Protection for Quarry Workers 213 Working Conditions and Organising