Health workers have served notice to strike if the government does not conclude negotiations for the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) by July 22.
The Health workers said they made a request to government for 20 per cent COLA in the light of the prevailing economic situation in the country.
“Unfortunately, like other members of organized labour, we are yet to receive a favourable response from government,” a statement they issued on Wednesday July 13 said.
This comes after some other unions including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers, (NAGRAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) declared strike following the failure of the government to meet their demands to approve the 20 per cent COLA.
Similarly, members of the Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana (SSA UOG) on Wednesday July 13 also declared indefinite strike.
Announcing the declaration of the strike at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday July 13, National Chairman of the SSA UOG, Isaac Donkor alleged that the CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) threatened to block their salaries if they go on strike.
The association has been demanding that the government applies fairness in the payment of allowances to public workers in Ghana.
“The CEO of FWSC Ing Ben Arthur has threatened to withhold all salaries of senior staff if we embark on strike. We believe that his posture was intimidating and also an affront to the position he occupies as a public officer who preaches equity but practices none. We are daring him on his claim.
“His action has even triggered our resolve for the strike action. We still maintain our position that the government has been unfair to the senior staff in public universities in Ghana.
“In our candid opinion, the payment of allowance to selected few within the senior staff associations in public universities and our compatriots in other unions is unscientific and discriminatory . we therefore ask government to act fairly towards senior staff in public universities.,” he said.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana