The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG), is unsure of when it will call off its strike over interim market premiums.
This is despite the union appearing receptive of President John Mahama’s explanation indicating government’s inability to honour their demands now, but instead in 2017.
The President has thus asked the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations to have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CLOGSAG.
CLOGSAG a fortnight ago declared a strike to force government to pay its members their interim premium allowances, and had refused to rescind the decision until their demands are met.
The Public Relations Officer of CLOSSAG, Eddie Acquaye, noted to Citi News, that the union will first have to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Employment Ministry before the termination of the strike.
Mr. Acquaye explained that the strike was called by the National Executive Council of CLOGSAG which is spread throughout the 10 regions.
“What we need to do is to perhaps convene an emergency meeting and see how they will come together for us to decide on the strike. The strike can only be called off by the national executive council.”
“For now, I cannot tell you that the strike will be called off in that particular meeting but the most important thing that we need to do now is to get the minister of employment to get the MOU finalized,” he added.
Mahama’s explanation to CLOGSAG
President Mahama had implored the striking workers to return to work.
According to him, 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.”
Prior to the President’s explanation, a meeting organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations on Tuesday aimed at resolving the issue, did not appease CLOGSAG.
The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that government could not pay the interim premium being demanded by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, (CLOGSAG).
According to him, provision was not made for such payments in the 2016 budget.
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