Prepare for unrest if our needs are not met: CLOSSAG to minister-designate

The Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOSSAG) has made it clear to the Employment Minister-designate it would not hesitate to fight him with labour unrest if he develops cold feet towards their needs. Isaac Bampoe-Addo, Executive Secretary of CLOSSAG, has therefore outlined some uphill tasks that Mr.

Ignatius Baffuor Awuah, who has been nominated as Employment and Social Welfare Minister pending parliamentary approval, has to tackle urgently. He mentioned among others the single spine pay policy and pension scheme in an interview with TV3’s Daniel Opoku. First on his agenda is the issue of pensions.

Mr. Bampoe-Addo wants SSNIT to apply the Pensions Act to the letter to ensure that pensioners are not given a raw deal after years of service to the nation. He is therefore advocating that SSNIT is not placed under the supervision of the Minister of Finance but rather the Employment and Social Welfare Minister.

The Executive Secretary wants the minister to also re-look at the “distorted” salary structure currently prevailing under the single spine pay policy. He also revealed his strong disapproval for the Joint Standing Negotiation Committee, a body whose work he claimed doesn’t inure to the benefit of labour.

Mr. Bampoe-Addo for instance noted that there are “people there (in the committee) without bargaining certificate” and maintained that the anomaly should be corrected. “He has to look at these issues and get them solved, else there would be problems…there would be labour unrest,” he charged the incoming minister.

He explained, “Because the fair salaries we were expected to have is now unfair. It’s distorted, it is not fair any longer; we want a fair salary regime.” He also prayed for a raise in base pay of some workers, which in his view is below the minimum wage.

The base pay should either be at the same level as the minimum wage or should be above it, he underscored.

He however described Ignatius Baffuor Awuah as “knowledgeable and a good pick” and promised that he will be supported if by CLOSSAG if approved by Parliament.