We won't use GUSS for salary negotiations - GNAT

Kumasi, Aug. 11, GNA - The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has warned that it will not support any attempt by the government to use the discredited Ghana Universal Salary Structure (GUSS) pay system as the basis for the 2006/2007 salary negotiations. It said the adjustment of the salaries of a section of the public sector workers outside the GUSS had destroyed the spirit and philosophy that underlined the pay structure, which tried to establish equity and fairness in the compensation management in the country and there was therefore, no need to rely on it.

In a communiqu=E9 signed by Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, National President and issued in Kumasi at the end of its National Council meeting on Thursday, the teachers' association said the government's discriminatory approach to compensation management in the public service was not only disastrous, but also a recipe for labour unrest in the country. It also called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to withdraw the illegal "Unified Code of Conduct", which sought to regulate the personnel of GES, since it was done without due negotiations as mandated by the labour law.

The communiqu=E9 further called on the GES to make funds available through adequate budget provision to enable her pay all outstanding legitimate entitlements of teachers before the end of the financial year.

It expressed its happiness with the issuance of Collective Bargaining Certificate (CBC) to the association to enable her bargain for all categories of teachers in the public sector and called on the GES to be in readiness to negotiate effectively with GNAT, the employees' representatives.