Government
business in the country is expected to grind to a halt as civil servants begin
an indefinite nationwide strike.
The
Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) has directed its
national, regional and district offices to be closed down effective today.
Executive
Secretary of CLOGSAG, Isaac Bampoe-Addo, in a statement says the industrial
action is in response to government’s failure to address outstanding issues
with regard to the payment of premium to its members.
Leadership
of the Association in Ashanti region has vowed to ensure members stay out of work
till the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) rescinds its decision in
terminating the Voluntary Arbitration in settling the grievances.
However,
the Local Government Workers’ Union (LGWU) is unhappy with CLOGSAG in locking
up of offices of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembles (MMDAs) to
force LGWU members to join their strike.
“It
is regrettable that CLOGSAG executives have gone ahead to lock up some of the
offices of the MMDAs and Departments to force the staff to participate in a
needless and uncalled for strike action,” said a statement signed by Joe Boahen,
LGWU General Secretary.
Some
of the affected offices are New Juabeng and Asuogyaman in the Eastern Region,
Mamponteng in Ashanti and others in parts of the Central region.
The
Union is therefore calling on the authorities concerned to sanction the CLOGSAG
executives who locked the offices. “This is because the local government
workers do not take instructions from CLOGSAG”, it said.
The
LGWU last Friday cautioned workers of the MMDAs and Departments not to join the
CLOGSAG strike action, because the leadership of the Union “will continue to
choose the path of dialogue and labour discourse devoid of rancor and divisiveness”.
The
Union says it is working closely with the authorities concerned to address the
Migration, Market Premuim and other related issues associated with the Single
Spine Pay Policy (SSPP).
Story
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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