Government to meet labour unions today as more unions threaten to join strike action
Negotiations are scheduled to commence between government and teacher unions, the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association and other labour groups, over the demand for the Cost of Living Allowance.
As it stands now, medical doctors have also joined in the demand for 20 per cent of their basic salary as a cost of living allowance due to what they describe as harsh economic conditions.
Four teacher unions have already laid down their tools over the government’s failure to pay the allowance.
Vice President of the Ghana Medical Association, GMA, Dr Justice Yankson speaking ahead of today’s meeting on Citi FM said the outcome of the meeting will determine their next line of action.
“It is only after the negotiations have ended that the GMA can say these are the outcomes… and if they are not okay, then we will have to make a decision.”
“But for now, the key thing is that negotiations that were due to start, we will partake fully, and we hope that the employer will come to the table with something concrete that will ultimately appease labour in totality,” Dr Yankson said.
A meeting last week between the leadership of the four striking teacher labour unions and the government to resolve the impasse ended in a stalemate.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the CEO of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Benjamin Arthur; Director-General of Ghana Education Service, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa; Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum and Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Awuah.
