If the government does not increase members’ salaries, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to engage in unprecedented industrial action in Ghana’s history.
Dr Yaw Baah, Secretary-General of the TUC, encouraged the government not to hide behind the impact of the coronavirus and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict when he spoke at a seminar in Accra on Thursday, April 21.
“Employers should index our salary to inflation because they adjust the prices of their goods so the inflation rate does not harm them the way it does us,” he explained.
Dr. Yaw Baah urged workers not to put too much faith in the government and employers, instead asking questions about what they can do for themselves as workers and unions.
“This year, we will negotiate effectively, and I want to guarantee you that I will lead that negotiation,” he promised. “We will continue to discuss and negotiate, but if the dialogue fails, we will engage in unprecedented industrial action in this country.”
Dr. Yaw Baah continued, “The TUC has reviewed the pensions issue in Ghana and has reached to the conclusion that their state is horrible,” emphasizing that many retirees are dying prematurely since they receive as little as GHS300 per month.
He believes that this scenario must change since, at 60, retirees lack the vitality to participate in active labor in order to survive, resulting in their reliance on pension payments.
According to him, low wages equate to poor pension benefits.
“We looked at pensions and individuals who receive them, and it’s quite terrible.” Poor salaries directly translate to low pensions, and you will suffer even more since you have spent all of your energy working for this country, and you will be unable to do what you used to do when you are 60.
“However, that is the moment when you will be earning very little.” It’s no surprise that many retirees die before their time. That needs to change. Many elderly are getting only 300 cedis per month when I speak to you, but you will be amazed to learn that someone on the same social security scheme, SSNIT, is earning 142,000 cedis per month.
“You can get the annual pension for that pension by multiplying that by 12.” “This isn’t right, and we need to fix it,” he insisted.
