GNAT appeals to teachers

Bolgatanga, Dec 1, GNA - The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has appealed to teachers who have threatened to go on strike if government fails to implement the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSS) by December to rescind their decision.

Mr Ahenakwa Quarshie, the Officer in charge of Salaries and Conditions of Service of GNAT, made the appeal in Bolgatanga when he explained to the teachers the new pay structure. He said the delay in implementing the SSSS was to help address certain anomalies.

Mr Quarshie told the teachers that after the Ghana Education Service had submitted its report on the job evaluation to the Fair Wages Commission (FWC), it was found to contain many problems. He said GNAT and other teacher unions together with the GES and the FWC were working to resolve the issues after which the Commission would submit the final job evaluation to Controller and Accountant General Department for payment.

He said the FWC was committed to ensure that all workers including teachers were migrated onto the SSSS and that the main purpose of the SSSS was to help address the problem of disparities and unfairness among workers and not to necessarily increase salaries of workers. Mr Quarshie blamed part of the problem on some politicians for creating the impression that the government, through the SSSS, would ncrease salaries. Whilst some of the teachers were satisfied with the explanation others were not happy with the decision of the FWC to migrate them onto the SSSS in January 2011. They insisted that all efforts must be made to ensure that they paid the SSSS by the end of December to avoid any confrontation.