PSI marks Campaign for equity in remuneration

Accra, Oct. 7, GNA - The Pay Equity Day, a global campaign to remove inequalities and discrimination from the pay system against women workers in the public sector service have been marked by the Public services International (PSI) affiliates in Ghana on Thursday.

The celebration, which created public awareness, was under theme: "Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value", drew 140 women workers from the public sector of the affiliate unions in the Trade Union Congress. The unions affiliated to PSI were, Local Government Workers' Union (LGWU), Health Services Workers' Union (HSWU), Public Utility Workers' Union (PUWU), Public Services Workers' Union (PSWU), Teachers and Educational Workers' Union (TEWU), and Construction and Building Material Workers' Union (CBMWU).

Addressing the women, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Dr (Mrs) Angela Ofori Atta, assured the women that the National Labour Commission to be set up would critically investigate women's social and biological problems that affect them.

She reminded the participants that the new Labour Act 2003, Act 651, has already addressed most of women's problem.

Mrs Ofori Atta said, as government and labour, "we need to do a study of a remuneration of men and women before we can make a case." When asked what government was doing to ratify the International Labour Convention 183 on the increase of maternity leave from 12 weeks to 14 weeks, Dr Ofori-Atta said, " I would take it up with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs on how best parliament would address the Convention.

The Co-ordinator of PSI Affiliates in Ghana, Mr Jerry Addo, who chaired the function said, "pay equity was not much of our problem but we have problems which are sometimes stressful, and cited sexual harassment, transfers of women workers and work schedules." He expressed gratitude to the participants for taking part in the programme.