Organised Labour has rejected government’s proposal for 18% increment in the base pay of public sector workers.
During a bargaining meeting on Wednesday,30th November, 2022, Organised Labour stated that they will not accept anything less than a 60% increase.
In an interview with a representative of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), he stated that their initial demand has been modified from 60% to 65%.
He did, however, state that they will consult on the government’s offer.
“As you are aware, we have read the budget and there is an indication that there will be an increase in VAT of 2.5 … so this is fresh information that they have brought to that table. Because the budget has indicated certain issues in relation to VAT and the tax bracket to increase our burden,” the representative of CLOSAG said.
Also, the President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Isaac Owusu, declined the offer, but stated that the Union’s leadership will communicate with its members to determine the next steps.
“We are not representing ourselves, we are representing the larger group of teachers that are working in the country, so the stance of Organised Labour we are bound by it,” he said.
Read Also: IMF confirms Ghana’s intention to conduct debt restructuring in 2023
The Trades Union Congress further stated that they will not back down from their demand.
“We’ve been considerate for years and many things have gone wrong, so I think that this is the time to right the wrongs. The Single Spine Salary Structure is the most indecent structure in this country and we think that this is the opportune time to right the wrongs. So we have not been difficult…we are the same people that took the four and seven percent and so we won’t take anything below 60%,” he added.
However, Deputy Employment Minister Bright Wireko Brobby expressed his dissatisfaction with the turn of events.
“We have met but labour insists on a figure, so we will go back and reconvene … We have tabled something and labour says that they are unwilling to take it. So it is a clear state of frustration, of course, you do not expect me to be happy when there is this state of affairs,” he said.
After prior attempts had failed, the two sides gathered to discuss the next steps.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) warned ahead of the conference on Wednesday that it will not accept the government’s estimates in the 2023 Budget.
In reading the 2023 Budget in Parliament, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta predicted employee pay at GH44,990 million (5.6% of GDP).
TUC Deputy General Secretary Joshua Ansah declared on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday that they would not agree to the predicted sum.
Mr Ansah believes the government should brace itself for a fight if it refuses to pay anything less than 60%.
“There is no way Organised Labour is also going to accept what has been put in the budget. Well, if the government has made up its mind that it is the way it thinks that he can actually force down the throat of workers, then we are in for a big fight, because there is no way government can pay anything below what we are expecting,” he said.
He stated that Organized Labor will not back down from their demand for a 60% raise in their basic wage.
SOURCE: myjoyonline
