Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations Antwi-Bosiako Sekyere has advised striking members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), to turn to the Association for their salary at the end of the month.
The ministry seems to be adopting a no-work-no-pay policy as it starts a roll call of members who report to work and those who have imbedded themselves in the strike have therefore stayed out of work.
Members of CLOGSAG embarked on an indefinite strike last week over the implementation of their Market Premium under the Single Spine Salary Structure. The Greater Accra branch of CLOGSAG is threatening legal action against any state institution that tries to force its members back to work through intimidation.
Addressing the media in Accra on Thursday, Regional Secretary, Samuel Collision said their strike is in line with the Labour Act, and as such they would not return to work until their request for top up of their salaries is addressed.
But Mr Antwi-Bosiako has told Joy News “nobody is intimidating CLOGSAG members”. He recognised the strike embarked upon by CLOGSAG as their democratic right, but government as an employer is only taking a roll call of its employees at work.
“We want to know those on strike and those at work,” he stressed. He noted that while on strike, employees should know that their employers “cannot go and borrow money and pay you”. He placed on record, “The organisation who called for the strike would have to pay you.”
The Deputy Minister explained that it is for this reason why there is what he called ‘strike fund’ to supplement the income of persons who go on strike and are not paid by their employers.
Mr Antwi-Bosiako recalled the National Labour Commission writing to the leadership of CLOGSAG about the appointment of an arbitrator to settle their impasse with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. However, members of CLOGSAG have “refused” to sit and dialogue, he stated.
“You can’t resolve the matter when you are on strike,” he cautioned them. Meanwhile, some departments and ministries remain closed as members of CLOGSAG continue their strike.
Ghanaians who turned up at these offices to do business were left frustrated and disappointed. They told Joy News on Wednesday that the strike will adversely affect their businesses and cost them money.
