Accra, July 12, GNA- The Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has declared their intention to embark on a strike effective Tuesday, July 19, 2022, if Government fails to pay them the Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA).
They said the high rate of inflation has resulted in frequent price hikes and a steady degradation of the actual worth of public sector workers’ wages.
The Union, in a statement signed by Mr Bernard Adjei, General Secretary and copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, said the condition prompted organized labour to petition the President of Ghana to approve the payment of COLA to cushion employees during the 2022 May Day Parade, followed by a formal request on June 24,2022, but received no response.
The statement said the situation had been worsened by the Government’s refusal to grant mandate for the negotiation of institution-specific conditions of service for several organizations under the Single Spine, which sometimes resort to delay tactics during negotiations.
Over 27,000 workers within the PSWU’s over 65 public sector institutions feel the economic pressure in their pockets, with each passing day leading in uncertainty about fulfilling basic demands.
“It is an obvious situation that a possible return to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) further complicated the economic uncertainties faced by public sector workers and flashes back memories of harsh Labour policies that disadvantage the ordinary worker,” the statement said
The statement added that a decision to enter an IMF programme, for example, risks returning to a harsh industrial environment rife with conditions such as the sale of critical and well-performing national assets, redundancies, a freeze on employment, and a wage freeze (an intention denied by His Excellency the President during his remarks at the 11th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the TUC (Ghana) in Kumasi on March 23, 2021).
Also, for several workers who retired under the National Pensions (Amendment) Act,2014 (Act 883) which came into full force on 1st January,2020, the disparity in their lump sum payments as compared to those who retired under PNDCL 247 have not been resolved,” it said.
The statement said, this has resulted in additional economic burdens for our society’s most vulnerable people, the elderly, despite the President’s unequivocal vows to handle this situation as far back as October 13th, 2020, in the heat of the Elections Campaign.
Therefore, at an Emergency Meeting of the Management Committee and representatives from the over 65 institutions that make up the PSWU, members were left with no choice than to embark on a Strike effective Tuesday, July 19,2022 until their concerns are addressed.
GNA