20% pay increment is scientific, Organised Labour
If we do less than 20%, the worker has been short-changed, GFL
Organised Labour wants nothing but a 20% increase in the minimum wage and base pay of public workers.
According to the Ghana Federation of Labour, any figure below that will mean that workers have been short-changed.
Deputy general secretary of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Kenneth Koomson, speaking to Asaase News said, “a demand of 20% minimum wage and a base pay adjustment to 20% is scientific, it cannot be proven; it is not a subjective figure. This is why we are saying it should be 20% and nothing else.”
He however lamented the rising cost of living in the country, adding that, “it is feasible because negotiations are scientifically determined and when you look at the imposition of taxes, cost of petroleum prices, cost of living, utility cost, and all of these places a very serious burden on the ordinary worker.
“There couldn’t be any adjustment that will compensate and even attempt to restore anything above 20%. If we do less than 20%, the worker has been short-changed, he’ll not be able to address the challenges that confront us as workers every now and then that’ll be a betrayal.”
After various agitations for salary increments, the government in July 2021 announced a 4% increase in the base pay for public sector workers.
This came after negotiations by the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) made up of the government, organised labour and employers.
The committee at that negotiation, after agreeing to a 4% increment noted that a further seven per cent increment should be made in 2022, a decision which was also agreed on.
Meanwhile, Organised Labour had proposed a 15% rise for 2021 and 2022, and quoted 10% as its final proposal.
Government and employers, however, insisted on offering 4 and 6% respectively as the impact of COVID-19 had made it impossible to go beyond the figures proposed.
Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Baffour Awuah, who led the government’s team, at the negotiation noted that any further increment will mean that government will have to retrench workers, a situation the government wanted to avoid.
Public Sector workers want government to review salary increment