NLC meets HWG over new salary structure

Accra, Feb. 5, GNA - The National Labour Commission (NLC) on Monday met representatives of the Health Workers Group (HWG) to discuss the way forward for a comprehensive resolution of a dispute over the implementation of their new salary structure.

A statement issued by the NLC said it had prior to Monday's meeting held separate meetings with the Ministry of Health and the Appellate Body set up to correct what the HWG saw as distortions in the salary structure.

The statement said the HWG at the meeting explained their concerns over the implementation of the new salary structure as including under-payment and non-payment of salaries, as well as delay in correcting the salary distortions.

It said following discussions on the concerns, the NLC had decided to convene another involving the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Appellate Body and the Group on Friday, February 9, to discuss the way forward. Meanwhile a source close to the HWG told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the Group had not met anywhere to discuss an industrial action and, therefore, the news came as a surprise to the Executives.

He said the attempt by a few of its members in some of the regions to stay away from work did not make it a universal decision of the entire Group to embark on a nationwide strike action.

He said the Executive of the HWG would hold a meeting with the membership in Accra on Tuesday February 6 2006 to discuss pressing issues including the new salary structure and other welfare issues. Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director-General of the Ghana Health Services (GHS), told the GNA that the issues coming out of the Health Salary Structure were being actively pursued.

"A new taskforce was recently inaugurated by the MOH to continue to resolve all outstanding issues."

Prof. Akosa stated that while the issues were being resolved, service to the good people of Ghana could not be compromised by any section of the health workforce.

"Professionalism does not permit such interruptions in the work, particularly when there are genuine attempts to resolve problems." He called on all staff under the GHS to be patient, saying; "we cannot begin a new year, particularly in the Jubilee Year, to unleash untold hardships on the people".