Day 2 of 2023 Base Pay Negotiation: Government proposes a 12% Increment in Salaries

On the 17th of November 2022, the government during the first sitting at the Ministry of Health Conference room proposed an 8% increment but workers rejected the offer considering the inflation rate in Ghana.

Both parties could not conclude the negotiations as the meeting ended inconclusively and postpone to Friday, November 18, 2022.

This sent the meeting to the second day, November 18, 2022, on which both parties could not agree on the government’s 8% offer.

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The Forum for Public Sector Associationsand Unions are demanding a 60% Salary Increment for the 2023 fiscal year.

A joint statement signed by the Forum for Public Sector Associations and Unions submitted to the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) has proposed 60% as the Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) for the year 2023.

The Public Sector Workers’ Associations and Unions explained that, originally, the daily Base Pay (Level 1 Step 1) was 10% above the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW).

According to them, over the years, as a result of accepting a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) instead of a normal salary increase and granting increases in National Daily Minimum wage (NDMW) that were higher than the percentage increase in the Base Pay, a wide gap has been created between the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW) and the Base Pay.

They further said, currently, the 2022 daily Base Pay on 2022, Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is 16.26% below the 2022 National Daily Minimum Wage.

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The Forum for Public Sector Workers Associations and Unions said, in order to close the gap and restore the 10% point with respect to the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW), the daily Base Pay for 2023 should be GH¢14.88 plus 10% that is GH¢16.37.

Thus, the annual Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure(SSSS) for 2023 should be GH¢5,303.23.

They indicated that the 2022 annual Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) is GH¢3,672.84. It would need an increase of 44.397% in order for the erosion in salary levels for our members subsisting on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) to be wiped off.

“Due to the inflationary trends and the fact that 15% COLA has been granted on the
National Daily Minimum wage (NDMW), the Public Sector Workers Associations and Unions humbly propose that an increase on the 2022 Base Pay should be considered.” They said.

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“The step increment of 1.7% on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSs) 2010 was to have moved to 2% in 2012.”

“However, over the years, our plea to adjust the 1.7% step increment (annual increment) to 2% step increment has fallen on deaf ears.” They explained.

“The FORUM can no longer wait for the implementation of the 2% step increment.

The joint proposal was signed by the Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG)

Isaac Bampoe Addo, Secretaryof the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Thomas T. Musah, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT)

Eric A. Carbonu, President of Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH) King Ali Awudu, President of Ghana Medical Association (GMA) Dr. Frank Serebour, President of Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA)

Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo and General Secretary of Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anesthesia (GACRA).