Organized Labour has told the Akufo-Addo-led government to, as matter of urgency, adjust salaries for workers.
Thomas Musah, General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of teachers (GNAT) indicated that times are hard for Ghanaian workers hence, the need for government to put smiles on their faces by increasing their salaries.
“Times are hard for workers, I am telling you, and this is the time government will also have to demonstrate to workers that the sacrifices that organized labour made, the past two years, this is the time that the government can put some smile on the faces of workers,” he told TV3 in interview.
He further explained the reason for the demand to increase their salaries saying, the income they earn currently has a direct effect on their pensions.
“The reason why the issue of income has become crucial and critical is that the income you take today has a direct correlation to your pension so if your income is very low today if you go on pension the money you will take cannot even take you home.”
At the last negotiation, government granted 4 per cent salary increment for 2021, 7 per cent for 2022.
But Mr Musah said they have gained the moniker 4 per cent due the the percentage increment they managed to received last year.
“We came under serious pressure for these two years, even still wherever we go, we are referred to as 4 per cent, our name now is 4 per cent. Our members don’t call us our real names again, when they see us they call us 4 per cent, that is our Sir name now.”
Recently, Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Dr Yaw Baah assured workers that he would personally lead the negotiations to ensure that they get the right percentage of salary increments.
He asked workers to count on him that he will negotiate effectively this year.
Speaking at a forum in Accra on Thursday April 21, Dr Yaw Baah asked the government to adjust saltries to meet the rising inflation in the country.
He explained that the prices of goods and service go up whenever inflation rises hence the need to always increase salaries.
Dr Yaw Baah said “Employers should index our pay to the inflation because the employers change the prices of their goods so the inflation rate does not affect them the way it is affecting us therefore, we should get our salaries indexed.
“Don’t let us rely too much on government and employers. Let us ask the question, what can we do for ourselves as workers and unions? We will negotiate effectively this year and that one, I want to assure you that I will lead that negotiation.
“We will continue to talk, we will continue to negotiate but if the dialogue fails we are going to embark on an industrial action that has never happened in this country before.”
