Labour organisations hit the streets today to protest poor salary

Public sector workers will today hold what is expected to be a huge demonstration over the recent 4% and 7% increments in their wages.

The demonstration by the Aggrieved Public Sector Workers on Wednesday, August 18 in Accra has been acknowledged by the police who have promised to provide the needed protection.

The leadership of Organised Labour have come severe criticism for accepting the salary increments by 4% and 7% instead of a proposed 25%.

Some labour groups claim the 4 and 7 per cent are disappointing and unfair to workers due to the impact of the COVID-19, but the leadership of Organised Labour has argued that it accepted the percentage to allow the government to employ over one million workers into the public service.

The Lead Convener for the Aggrieved Public Sector Workers, Norbert Gborgbotsi, last month dared government to invite public sector workers to come up with a redundancy programme and many public sector workers will apply.

“Do you think the government can embark on redundancy? Government should try and see that 90% of Ghanaian workers will put in the application.”

Mr Gborgbotsi said, “if TUC says it does not want the government to lay off public sector workers, tell them to lay us off and give us redundancy packages and see if the government can afford that. Go to Newmont Ghana. The workers there are praying for redundancy because the package is four times their retirement packages.”

The Convener said, “we did not get representation on the panel and we will not accept the 4 and 7 per cent increments.”

“Some workers are taking 70 per cent which is subjected to the same economy, why must some be given 70 per cent and others be given 4percent?”

He said, “we are gathering for a demonstration on the 18th of August. We have presented our letter to the police and they have accepted it so we shall hit the streets.”

The salary increments were reached in June by the National Tripartite Committee.

While the 2021 salaries were increased by 6 per cent, the 2022 salaries were increased by 8 per cent.

Also, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has rejected the recent 4 per cent salary increment for public sector workers.

Several other unions, including the Trades Union Congress (TUC), had earlier rejected same and demanded a review to reflect the growing income gap between Article 71 officeholders and ordinary government workers.

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has been on a strike since August 2 claiming that the government has refused to take immediate steps to address the worsening condition of service of its members.