Fair Wages and Salaries Commission responds to TEWU, others on salary

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has submitted an audited payroll of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

This will enable the Ministry to release funds for payment of all salaries and benefits, including 5 months’ arrears in payment to members of these groups, Dr Smith Graham, Chief Executive Officer of FWSC said on Friday

He explained that as at the close of last year, only the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, [KNUST] had submitted their payroll which had since been approved by the Ministry and the funds released to be paid.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said 99.02 per cent of public service workers had been migrated onto the Single Spine Salary Structure as of February 2, 2012.

Explaining that a total of 466, 050 beneficiaries had so far been migrated by the Fair Wages & Salaries Commission onto the new pay structure.

“Meanwhile, the Public Service Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) is scheduled to hold a preparatory meeting on February 8, 2012 at the Media Centre (Ohene Djan Sports Stadium) to discuss and negotiate Categories 2 and 3 Allowances.”

He therefore called on all unions to collaborate for expedited action.

Commenting on the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Dr Graham said the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission had verified, completed and signed two mapping data for two institutions that is KNUST and the University of Cape Coast.

He said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning was therefore expected to release monies for the payment of January salaries and outstanding arrears to workers of the two universities.

Dr Graham said: “Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has completed the necessary processes in this direction. Meanwhile Job Re-evaluation has begun for administrative and professional senior members of the public universities and the process is expected to be completed in by the end of this month.”

He also said the Commission had just completed discussions with the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) on their grading structure, adding that a follow-up meeting scheduled for 6th February 2012 will deliberate on other issues to pave way for their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure.

Source: GNA