Pay the 20 per cent COLA or we all will join the strike – TUC threatens government
Public Sector Workers are mounting pressure on the government to concede and pay the 20 per cent Cost of Living Allowance.
The Trades Union Congress has cautioned that its members may join the ongoing strike declared by teacher unions should the government fail to pay the allowance.
As it stands now, four teacher unions are still resolute on their strike action to demand the payment of a cost of living allowance and have vowed to continue with the industrial action despite the government’s persuasion.
A meeting with the government on the matter on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, unfortunately, ended inconclusively.
Interacting with the press after the meeting, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress, Joshua Ansah, said the government’s posture over the COLA payment may push them to join the strike.
“There is nothing to negotiate over. Everyone is requesting what is due to them. We are all preparing to go on strike if the government does not give us anything reasonable. We all want better Cost of Living Allowances.”
However, the government is pleading with the four teacher unions and other unions who have expressed interest in joining the strike to bear with the government.
Bright Wireko Bobby, the Deputy Employment and Labour Relations Minister, spoke to journalists about the government’s position and what transpired.
“Times are hard because of the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19. We all feel the heat. We perfectly understand their plight. But then we are quite handicapped because the economic crisis is beyond us. We are only asking that they bear with us as we try to meet their demands.”
