Labour Unions demand pay rise despite Mahama's complaints

Labour Unions and other worker associations say they will go ahead to demand a adjustments in their salaries despite complaints by President John Mahama.

President Mahama during the State of the Nation address on Thursday noted that productivity in the public sector does not match the jump in wages brought about by the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure.

The president added that it is high time public sector workers stepped up their game.

But the Trades Union Congress has already written to the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations to hold a National Tripartite Committee meeting to determine a new national daily minimum wage for 2013.

Chairman of the Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU) Peter Lumor said government and state officials rather than public sector workers may be the cause of the swelling wage bill.

He added that TEWU will go ahead to demand it’s due despite the president’s concerns.

Meanwhile, presidential aide Stan Dogbe in a reaction said the president’s concerns about the swelling wage bill are not limited to public sector workers but extends to state officials too.

He said the public sector workers must admit their lapses and step up their game.

CEO of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission George Smith Graham also stated that the sustainability of the Single Spine Salary Structure highly depends on the efficiency of the public sector.

“The sustainability will depend on two things; first of all it will depend on the public sector improving on its efficiency and productivity.

“The second thing is for us all to look at the wage bill currently and look at the amount involved and realise that we cannot be taking all this money it does not commiserating with productivity to it”.