Govt given ultimatum to give health workers revised pay

Accra, Dec. 4, GNA - The Health Services Workers Union (HSWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), has given the ministries of Health, Finance and Economic Planning and the Ghana Health Service, a week ultimatum to respect the revised grading system and pay workers as such.

The Union said the revised grading, which was to take effect from January 1, this year, placed unionized members and other members of the Health Workers' Group on pay scale two (2).

A statement signed in Accra by Mr Abu .D. Kuntulo, General Secretary of the HSWU deplored the way and manner in which the government had handled the payment of the approved revised salaries to the health sector workers.

"The Union is highly disappointed that a directive in a letter dated July 14, 2008, signed by Dr .A. Akoto Osei, Minister of State, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to the Controller and Accountant General, actually authorised him to effect payment, but still nothing has been done to date," it said.

The statement said the payment of arrears was to be effected in two equal instalments. January to March was to be paid in August this year, whiles that for April to June was to be released in September.

The statement said the unexplained delay by the government in implementing the revised salaries had compelled the Union to officially complain to the National Labour Commission (NLC) through a letter dated November 19, 2008 to intervene to help expedite action on the matter. According to the statement, the NLC also realising the urgency of the matter wrote a letter dated Dec. 1, 2008 to the ministries of Health and Finance and Economic Planning to demand an immediate response to the issues raised by the Union.

It said in view of the undue delay by the government to solve the problem, the leadership of the Union had been under severe pressure from its rank and file for the early payment of the approved scales to avoid any "unforeseen repercussions".

It said the national executives of the Union would soon meet to discuss the matter further to take an appropriate decision if no satisfactory response came from government during the one week ultimatum.