Accra, April 6, GNA – The Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), the mouthpiece of workers in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), is threatening an industrial action effective Thursday, April 21, over neutrality allowance.
The strike is to demand the allowance, which did not reflect in the salaries of members for February and March, 2022, despite reaching an agreement with the Government on its payment.
The allowance is to be paid Civil Service or Local Government Service workers for being barred from participating overtly in political party activities and holding any political office while working in the Service.
Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Executive Secretary of CLOGSAG, explained to the Ghana News Agency that per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government, the allowance should have been paid in February, but that did not happen.
He said: “The allowance should have reflected in our February pay, but it didn’t reflect, and didn’t reflect in March too.”
As a result, the National Executive Council (NEC) at its meeting on the status of the January 20, 2022, MoU, declared a strike to push the government to implement the agreement.
“The payment of the neutrality allowance has not been effected as agreed in spite of official reminders and follow ups to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning,” an internal communication to members of the Association, stated.
It added that: “The National Executive Council, therefore, decided that CLOGSAG should embark on an industrial action to press home its demand for the implementation of the MoU.”
The Association said it had notified the National Labour Commission (NLC), Civil and Local Government Service Council, Senior Presidential Advisor, Minister of National Security and Minister of Employment and Labour Relations of the strike.
The Association on January 20, embarked on a nationwide strike to demand better conditions of service, including the neutrality allowance.
It indicated that there had been undue delay in finalising negotiations on the conditions of service of its members, which CLOGSAG found “worrying and unacceptable.”
However, the strike was called off after some hours following an agreement between the national leaders of the Association and the government.
GNA