Give community sector employees 20% value of residing allowance – TUC tells authorities

The Trade Unions Congress (TUC), has identified as on authorities to give public sector personnel a 20% expense of living allowance (COLA).

According to the the TUC, this will assistance much better the lot of general public sector employees across the country.

Talking at this year’s May Day Celebration at the Black Star Square, the Basic Secretary of the TUC, Dr. Yaw Baah, also identified as for an overhaul of government’s single backbone income composition, elimination of petroleum taxes and an improve in the least wage to deliver reduction to the public sector workforce.

“I will like to conclude with a incredibly really specific ask for to you. Presented the soaring expense of living, we will like to humbly attraction to you, to use your govt powers to grant a cost of dwelling allowance of at the very least 20% to all community assistance staff.

I will like to enchantment to you, to use your govt powers to grant a COLA of at least 20% to all general public sector personnel.

Listed here, I’m not chatting only about all those on solitary spine. I’m also chatting about the Armed Forces, the Law enforcement Assistance, the Prison Company, the Immigration Assistance, the Fire Company and all the safety and intelligence companies. The price tag of residing allowance ought to also be extended to workers in the non-public sector who’re earning just GH¢365 for every month”, he stated.

He also additional that, “We also hope that this will be extended to all these pensioners on the SSNIT scheme who’re earning just GH¢300 a month.

Mr. President, this will not only cushion workers and pensioners from the harsh results of inflation. But even a lot more importantly, it will avert mass poverty in this state amongst the doing the job persons, who’re contributing so significantly to the progress of our country”.

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Dr. Baah reiterated the growing value of living in the state, and wondered why Ghanaians go on to suffer, despite the country’s assets.

“Mr. President, Ghanaians are suffering too much. This is not the country that was envisaged by our leaders who fought with their tears and blood to obtain independence for us.

God has endowed us gold, diamond, forest, ocean, oil and other assets, thus practically nothing can justify the substantial incidents of extreme poverty, destitution and suffering in Ghana these days, 65 many years nowadays.

It is evident to us that the numerous IMF programmes in Ghana did not work. It is also apparent to us that the partisan approach to working with Ghana’s challenges is not working”, he mentioned.

In the meantime, relating to the welfare of employees, President Akufo-Addo has unveiled that a technical committee has been established up by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to evaluation the Solitary Spine Shell out Coverage.

According to him, this review is anticipated to give the authorities solutions on regardless of whether or not the plan is living up to anticipations.

Speaking at the May well Working day ceremony on Sunday, May 1, he stated that “I am also content to announce that next the Countrywide Labour Conference at Kwahu, the Ministry of Work and Labour Relations and its tripartite associates have set up, as of Tuesday, 26th April, a complex committee to evaluate the Solitary Backbone Shell out Coverage (SSPP), and advise Governing administration accordingly”.

This year’s May perhaps Working day celebration was held less than the topic, “Protecting Work opportunities and Incomes in the era of Covid-19 and Beyond”.

President Akufo-Addo mentioned that the federal government is anticipating the report on the review in July, 2021.

This, he thinks, “will enable us set an close to most of the unrest we see on the labour entrance involving general public sector workers”.

The Solitary Spine Pay Coverage was introduced by the Government of Ghana and executed in 2010 to control the payment of general public company workers, specifically those underneath Short article 190 of the 1992 Structure of Ghana

They contain general public sector employees in the Civil Support, the Judicial Support, the Audit Support, the Ghana Education and learning Provider, the Ghana Overall health Services, the Parliamentary Company, the Countrywide Fireplace Assistance, Ghana Earnings Authority, the Regional Authorities Assistance, the Law enforcement Services, and the Prisons Company, staff in non-income public companies, statutory public expert services excluding community services these kinds of as the Parliament.

The policy has on the other hand endured some troubles.

In a critique by Bossman E. Asare of the College of Ghana and Dennis Mpere, some of these worries involved a higher general public expectation, dissatisfaction with the grading construction by some workers and insufficient money and human assets struggling with the Reasonable Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

Other people are inadequate training, problems of support and allowances for staff.

President Akufo-Addo’s remark arrives immediately after some govt employees over the previous number of months embarked on strike steps over ailments of service. 

The the latest strike action is by the Civil and Community Authorities Team Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG).

They went on strike on Thursday, April 21 around the nonpayment of the neutrality allowance.

They argued that despite formal reminders and abide by-ups, payment of the Neutrality Allowance has not been effected as agreed.

In the meantime, aside from the review of the Solitary Spine Shell out Policy, President Akufo-Addo said, to safeguard the careers of users of organised, his place of work and crucial stakeholders are fashioning out the proper policies to shield employment and revenue.

They incorporate the rollout of work gains, and retraining of employees among the others.