CLOGSAG threatens nation-wide strike

The National Executive Council of Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), has threatened nation-wide strike if the members are not migrated onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) by the end of the month.

“We wish to state that if all our members are not migrated by the end of September, 2011, CLOGSAG will have no option other than embarking on a nation-wide industrial action,” it said in a statement signed by Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Executive Secretary in Accra at the week-end.

The threat was contained in a resolution adopted at the end of its meeting held to discuss issues on the migration.

“It is expected that our social partner, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the government would show enough commitment to achieve the desired target of migrating all CLOGSAG members onto the SSSS at the end of September, 2011,” it added.

According to the statement, CLOGSAG had sighted a letter from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) on migration of CLOGSAG members that had agreed on a test-run to precede the implementation of the SSSS.

The statement reminded its members that the process of implementation of the SSSS effective January 1, 2010 had been initiated to enable the migration.

However, it said the delay in placement of the staff of CAGD and the internal auditors was of grave concern to CLOGSAG.

“We call for an immediate resolution of this issue by the FWSC since we have done our part and resolved all issues relating to the placement and migration with the Office of Head of Civil Service,” it added.

The statement noted that considering a declaration made at GIMPA in May 2009 that institutions and organisations should negotiate allowances with their Councils or Boards prior to the implementation of the SSSS, this directive had been applied in a discriminatory manner.

It said while some institutions had successfully negotiated new allowances, requests by CLOGSAG to negotiate allowances had not been heeded to leaving CLOGSAG members in a limbo.

“CLOGSAG, therefore, having waited all these years, call for urgent attention to deal with this matter without further delay,” it added.

The Council said it recognised the anxiety of members regarding the migration onto the SSSS and the strenuous efforts made by the National Executive Committee to contain the situation.

However, it said CLOGSAG would not countenance a situation where some of its members were left out in the migration of grades onto the SSSS, especially those in the Accounting Class, Internal Auditors, Survey Department, Land Title Registry and Lands Commission as well as the Non-Formal Division of the Ministry of Education.

The Council expressed appreciation to the members for their resilience, patience and the competence exhibited in handling their various and complex assignments.

Source: GNA