Dr. Yaw Baah
Organised labour has proposed a 60 per cent increment in base pay for 2023 due to the current inflationary trends as they begin negotiations with the government.
A statement jointly signed by the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Yaw Baah and chairman of the forum of Public Sector Workers, Isaac Bampoe said their demand comes on the heels of the 15 percent Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW).
The statement read, “Due to the inflationary trends and the fact that 15% COLA has been granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMw). We humbly propose that a 60% increase on the 2022 Base Pay should be considered”.
According to the statement, a gap has been created between the NDMW and the base pay due to the COLA granted public servants rather than increasing normal salary and NDMW.
It stated that the 2022 daily base pay on the 2022 Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is 16.26 per cent below the 2022 Daily Minimum wage.
“In order to close the gap and restore the 10% point with respect to the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW), the daily base pay for 2023 should be GH¢l4.88 plus 10% which is GH¢16.37”.
It further indicated that the government should have increased the annual increment of 1.7% on the Single Spine Salary Structure to 2% in 2012.
This according to them has not been increased and would therefore want the government to implement that next year.
“However, over the years, our plea to adjust the 1.7% step increment (annual increment) to a 2% step increment has fallen on deaf ears. The Organized Labour can no longer wait for the implementation of the 2% step increment,” the statement read.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah