By Patience Gbeze
Accra, Dec. 01, GNA – The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) said it is unhappy with the slow pace of the base pay negotiations amid rising cost of living and a squeeze on real income of its members.
It said the Union expected that government and organised labour would settle on a base pay substantial enough to insulate members from the continuous hardships and stress.
“Any further delay in the base pay negotiation will over stretch the patience of our members… as agitations are already gaining momentum,” an official statement signed by Mr Franklin Owusu-Ansah, the General Secretary and copied to the GNA said.
It said a review of the trajectory of the 2022 base pay negotiations and the worsening economic conditions was making members apprehensive.
“We are able to identify similar trends and events as the Minister for Finance read the 2023 budget couple with the fact that the 2023 base pay negotiations has not been completed.
“HSWU wants to state unequivocally that members are not happy about the unfolding events. Members are not happy about the plethora of taxes that has been proposed by the Minister for Finance…as they have cascading effects on the final consumer,” it added.
It said Union members had witnessed escalating fuel prices, affecting other goods and services, but in the midst of these increases, the nominal wages for members remained static while the real wage dropped each day.
“We, therefore, urge government and organised labour to settle on a base rate substantial enough to insulate our members….anything less of this would call for a immediate consultation among ourselves to decide the way forward as Health workers”.
The Union also thanked its members for their sacrifices and assured them of the leadership commitment to mount pressure until a substantial wage increase is achieved.
Government and organised labour’s second meeting on Wednesday, November 30 was inconclusive as government moved from initial stand of 15 per cent base pay increase to 18 per cent.
Organised labour, on the other hand, declined the offer and insisted on a 60 per cent increment, citing economic hardships, high inflation coupled with increment of taxes and income tax, among others, in the 2023 budget.
GNA