CLOGSAG petitions President Mills

Accra, July 8, GNA - Members of Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG) on Thursday embarked on a demonstration to d raw government's attention to their right to negotiate. The demonstration was undertaken simultaneously throughout the count ry. CLOGSAG presented a petition to President John Evans Atta Mills on issues relating to negotiations on the 2010 salary adjustment and other conditions of service. However, the demonstrators matching to the Osu Castle were prevented by armed police personnel at the Independence Square and this brought about verbal confrontation. In an interview with Ghana News Agency (GNA), Naa Yakubu, Chief Superintendent of Police said the Castle is a restricted area and would n ot allow the demonstrators access to President Mills. He said before members of CLOGSAG embarked on the demonstration, the

Police held a meeting with their leaders to inform them to stop at the Independence Square.

However, the leaders did not inform the demonstrators about this development, which therefore degenerated into anger. Six leaders of CLOGSAG were allowed to the Castle to present the petition. Some of the placards read: "Fair Wages Must Respect CLOGSAG," "10 pe r cent increase is too low," "We want to negotiate our pay," "SSSS is our Baby." Speaking to the GNA, Mr James Amissah, Executive Secretary of CLOGSA G said the association was at a loss why the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) stalled salary negotiations for 2010 with civil servant s. He said government's White Paper on the Single Spine Pay Policy (SS PP) did not indicate that there should be a one round of negotiation, adding FWSC had reneged on its duty to develop standards to guide human resource

managers concerning the implementation of the policy.

Mr Amissah explained that CLOGSAG's demonstration was not against th e SSPP but rather to draw government's attention to the refusal of FWSC to negotiate with CLOGSAG for 2010 salaries. He said the petition was presented to President Mills because the association suspect their concerns have not been conveyed to him. Mr Edward Tennyson Foli, Acting President of CLOGSAG said the association had not mandated any institution to negotiate on their behalf

adding "CLOGSAG is independent and a responsible association". "We have analysed the base pay (GH¢3.42) and the relativities of t he Single Spine Salary Structures announced by FWSC on July 1 and in our opinion, fairness and equity have eluded the FWSC while pursuing the objectives of SSPP," he said. He said issues relating to conditions of services were still being pursued. Mr Alex Segbefia, Deputy Chief of Staff who received the petition on

behalf of President Mills gave the assurance that President Mills would attend to them by the close of the day.