[2] The first elections of the GTUC was held in 1966 after Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana was overthrown.

The election was conducted to replace the union leaders who were under detention under the National Liberation Council.

In 1971, the GTUC was dissolved as the sole trades union congress after parliament, led by the Busia government, passed Act 383.

As of that date, the following unions were affiliated:[5] The federation affiliated to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in the early 1950s, and in 1957, it hosted the founding conference of the ICFTU African Regional Organisation.

[9][10] Today it is affiliated with International Trade Union Confederation, the successor of ICFTU.