The Sekondi-Takoradi railway and harbour workers were the only group of Ghanaian wage-earners to establish union organisation on a durable footing prior to the commencement of the Second World War. There were several characteristics of this labour force and features of its situation which might be considered especially congenial to spontaneous collective organisation. Yet, in order to gauge their relative historical peculiarity and importance, it is necessary to understand the major obstacles which confronted other groups of workers who attempted to form unions during this period.

That there were numerous attempts, as well as obstacles, is a point deserving emphasis in view of the still current myths as to the process of union formation in Ghana and other ex-British colonies. On first sight, it would appear that the major role in the development of trade unionism in Ghana has been played by government initiative, involving the imitation, whether voluntary or compulsory, of governments' preferred models. It might even be thought that Ghanaian workers have shown little spontaneous inclination to organise in furtherance of their collective interests. For, although there have been instances of strike action and labour organisation dating from the early days of colonial commerce, it was not until the Second World War, and then with the encouragement of the Colonial Labour Department, that any substantial expansion of official union membership occurred – from 500 registered members in 1943 to 6,000 in 1945, and then to 38,000 by 1949 (see Table 2.1).