Gov’t and organised labour agree on 10% salary increase in 2016

• Posted on October 3, 2015October 3, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The government and organised labour have agreed on a 10 per cent increase in base salary on the Single Spine Pay Policy for 2016.

The increment, which is for all public sector workers, becomes effective on January 20, 2016.

In a related development, the National Tripartite Committee comprising the government, the Ghana Employers Association (GEA) and organised labour has concluded negotiations on the national daily minimum wage (NDMW) which has been increased from GH¢7 to GH¢8.

The new wage becomes effective on January 20, 2016.

Historic feat

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview, said it was historic that such key decisions had been arrived at prior to the presentation of the budget and before the beginning of the fiscal year.

He said the development would allow for effective planning and enable the Ministry of Finance to incorporate it into its 2016 budget estimates to Parliament for approval.

He said for the base pay negotiations, the government team was led by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations while organised labour was led by the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress, Mr Kofi Asamoah, and other labour unions.

He said both meetings for the negotiations took place in Accra Friday.

Government proactive

Mr Iddrisu also said the government decided to take the proactive step in ensuring that the expectations of Ghanaian workers were not held in limbo, going into next year.

He described the negotiations as frank and devoid of rancour, adding that all parties had displayed a high degree of level-headedness.

“Government is committed to ensuring that issues that affect the welfare and livelihood of Ghanaians are handled with dispatch in order to have a highly motivated workforce that will be prepared to give of its best for national development,” he said.

By: Victor Kwawukume