GAWU is currently implementing four main programme areas of work, namely,
- The Rural Workers Organization Programme (RWOP) This department principally aims at promoting and facilitating the organization of non-wage agricultural and rural workers for the purpose of promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development. The broad aim of this programme is to enhance the livelihoods of the teeming millions as a necessary condition for ensuring technological means that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
The programme also seeks to organize farmers to improve access to inputs, land, credit, extension services and markets. It also forms the basis for providing evidence for advocacy work. GAWU is currently implementing a nation-wide programme of empowering women through post harvest loss management; it is a practical household level food security programme targeting some 50 communities.
- The Rights in Work Programme (RIW) is the framework for pursuing traditional trade union negotiations and representation as well as Promote basic human rights of working people in the world of work. In addition, they ensure the following:
- Promote the right to Freedom of Association
- Promote the right to Collective Bargaining
- Promote respect and compliance with core ILO standards
- Monitor and enforce compliance with agreements between employers and employees
- Identify policy needs in the pursuit of the above
- Organize workers from the formal agricultural establishments
- Training and Education Programme (TEP)is responsible for on-going training and education of formal sector members. It aims at promoting the empowerment of members, where GAWU educates members on their rights and responsibilities as citizens and sensitizes, train and build their capacities to defend and further these rights.
Preceding from rights the empowerment programme GAWU seeks to defend and further their interests as working people, in keeping with the purpose for which trade unions and industry exist. A Gender Equality Desk ensures that each program area mainstreams gender concerns whiles addressing them.
- The Policy and Advocacy Campaign Programme (PAC) promotes people-centered rights-based approach advocacy with the view to influencing policy formulation and implementation in favor of small-scale farmers and formal sector workers.
It influences the content and direction of policies at all levels in furtherance of the rights of the agricultural and rural population in particular. Advocacy issues include Trade Union rights, Trade and development, Food security, Child labor, Gender equality, Pesticide, The Sustainable Development Goals. GAWU has been active in advocating for national food security with a representative on committees and commission under the Ministry of food and Agriculture.
Supporting these four Programme Areas are the Administration and Finance Departments. The Union is also represented in all 10 regions of Ghana.
