Members of the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have lay down their tools starting Tuesday, July 19, 2022.
According to the workers, they are overwhelmed by the burden brought to them by the prevailing economic hardships in the country.
As a result, staff of about 69 public sector institutions have therefore decided to declare strike after they had voted a motion on whether or not to declare strike as a result of the situation.
The workers cited the yet to be approved Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA), rising rate of inflation in the country and other factors including Ghana going to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as some of the reasons behind their action.
In a press release issued Tuesday July 12, announcing the decision and signed by Bernard Adjei, General Secretary of PSWU of TUC the workers indicated “This situation is further worsened by the refusal of Government to grant mandate for the negotiation of institution-specific conditions of service for a number of organizations under the Single Spine, and sometimes its resort to delay tactics during negotiations.
“The over 27,000 workers within the over 65 public sector institutions that make up the PSWU feel the economic crunch in their pockets, with each passing day resulting in uncertainties of meeting basic needs. Obviously, a possible return to the IMF further complicates the economic uncertainties faced by public sector workers and flashes back memories of harsh labour policies that disadvantage the ordinary worker.
“Noticeably, a decision to enter into an IMF programme risk a return to a harsh industrial atmosphere rife of conditionalities such as sale of critical and well performing national assets, redundancies, freeze on employment, freeze in wages (an intention denied by His Excellency the President during his Remarks at the 1lth Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the TUC (Ghana) in Kumasi on 23rd March, 2021).
“Further, for a number of workers who retired under the National Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act 883) which came into full force until January, 2020, the disparity in their lump sum payments as compared to those who retired under PNDCL 247 have not been resolved.
“This has led to the already vulnerable members of our society, the aged, going through further economic hardships despite the firm assurances of the President to resolve this matter as far back as 13th October, 2020 in the heat of the Elections Campaign.”
In conclusion, “Consequently, at an Emergency Meeting of the Management Committee and representatives from the over 65 institutions that make up the PSWU, our members were left with no choice than to embark on a Strike effective Tuesday, 19th July 2022 until our concerns are addressed.”
By Vincent Kubi