CLOGSAG to sign MoU with Gov’t to end strike

The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) is due to sign a memorandum of understanding with government today in a move that is expected to bring to an end the strike by the Association.

A meeting between them and government Tuesday to find solution to the strike which started three weeks ago hit a snag as both parties failed to reach a consensus on the issue of the interim market premium for CLOGSAG.

But Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Alhaji Mohammed Baba Jamal is optimistic that the issue will be addressed by close of day Wednesday.

“They have a case and government is doing everything to make sure they end the strike today”, he told Bright Asempa, host of Onua FM’s morning show Yen Sempa, on Wednesday. He added: “We shall meet today to sign the MoU because government must do the arrangements well so that whatever we sign will be paid next year”.

CLOGSAG members across the country in early August withdrew their services to pressurise the government to pay its members their outstanding interim market premium.

But speaking at the 10th Quadrennial Delegates Congress of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Kumasi Wednesday, President Mahama said government succumb to CLOGSAG’s demand since it has resolved not to overspend in an election year.

President Mahama said any attempt to yield to the demands of CLOGSAG “will throw the budget completely off track, and make nonsense of the sacrifices we have made together over the last year.”

A labour expert, Kwasi Danso Acheampong, last week advised the striking members to heed to President John Mahama’s plea to them to return to work, but urged them to seek legal backing to whatever agreement they may reach with the government before they call off the strike “We are in an election year so if the agreement is not legally binding and a new government takes over, they will not be paid so they should have detailed memorandum which should be signed by the stakeholders like the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, National Labour Commission, Ministry of Employment and Labour Relation and CLOGSAG”, Mr Acheampong said.

Meanwhile, Mr Jamal has said despite all the challenges in the economy due to the IMF programmes, “government has not failed in payment of workers salary for even one month. “Ghana is the only country in Africa that starts working on workers salary around 15 of the month. Nigeria has not been paid its workers for six months now and they have turned it to prayers,” he said.