TUC threatens to work twice a week due to rising cost of living, transportation

The Deputy General-Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, has bemoaned the increasing cost of living juxtaposed to the salaries and incomes of workers.

The union has noted that if the government does not increase their salaries, they would be forced to decrease the number of days they go to work.

There was an earlier call on government to increase salaries by 60% due to the rising inflation and the general living crisis the country currently faces.

According to Joshua Ansah, government must step up to be truthful to the Ghanaians.

He said: “So if I’m negotiating with you and you’re unable to be fair, you’re unable to be truthful to yourself to tell us what is in the kitty? Who is taking what? And you tell us the economy is bad and there’s no money, government cannot pay, government cannot afford, then I’m inclined to go with brother Carbonu by saying that okay then we can also say that we’ll stay at home and come to work once in a week or twice in a week.

“Because somebody taking 500 cedis and paying transport of more than 1200 per month, how do you expect that person to come to work every day? How do you expect that person even to get something to eat after paying for the transportation? A family of two; a wife a husband and maybe two kids, how will they live in this very country? he is quoted by myjoyonline.com.

He also lamented government’s no-money syndrome, while adding that it is weighing on the livelihoods of Ghanaians.

“So, all these are the things that are very real in the face of Ghanaian workers and it’s enough. And it is time that we try to bring practicality to bear. The “no money”, “no money” syndrome, the government cannot afford the ability to pay for these things must be looked up once again.

“We don’t think this is the time for the government to tell us the money is not there and there’s no way to [pay us] then if the money is not there, let us find a way of regulating our work whether to come to work once in a week, twice in a week and so on and so forth to commensurate the money that we’re being paid,” he said.

Meanwhile, organized labour is expected to meet government on November 22, 2022, to negotiate salaries and other allowances.

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