Organized labour rejected a 12 per cent salary increment presented to the after negotiations. It rejected a 12 per cent salary increment offered by the government following days of negotiations.
President of the Tertiary Education Workers Union (TEWU), Ambrose Yaw Kwadwodzah, said they still demanded a 60 per cent increase before the budget is read.
He said “this year’s conditions are far worse than last year’s when we negotiated for a salary increment. We believe that what is left in the coffers is not being shared equitably amongst us. The so-called Article 71 office holders, one of their allowances is more than someone’s basic salary and that is not fair at all,” he noted.
It should be remembered that the University Teachers Association of Teachers, the Ghana Medical Association, and the Universities Senior Staff Association among others have all declared intentions to strike over issues concerning their conditions of service.
Amid the economic crisis, the government has faced calls for improved remuneration by organized labour.
The various worker unions, including the four teacher unions, the Ghana Medical Association, and the Public Sector Workers Union, among others, demanded the payment of 20 per cent of their basic salaries as Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) due to the current economic situation in the country.
Negotiations dragged on for over two weeks, compelling some unions to strike and insist on their demands.
Such incidents have happened in Uganda too, with the most recent strike by local government workers who decided to lay down their tools after noticing the government’s failure to address their grievances.
In July 2022, the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) led a strike by teachers (Arts teachers) who were protesting the government’s move to increase pay for only science teachers before teachers were nurses, allied health workers, and doctors.
