The Ghana Medical Association’s leadership, teacher unions, and other labor organizations will enter into negotiations with the government today, on Tuesday, to address the demand for a cost-of-living allowance.
Due to what they describe as difficult economic conditions, the medical doctors are also asking for a cost-of-living allowance of 20% of their basic pay.
Due to the government’s failure to pay the allowance, four teacher unions have already ceased operations.
“It is only after the negotiations have ended that the GMA can say these are the outcomes… and if they are not okay, then we will have to take a decision.”
“But for now, the key thing is that negotiations that were due to start, we will partake fully, and we hope that the employer will come to the table with something concrete that will ultimately appease labour in totality,” Dr. Yankson says.
The government and the leaders of the four striking teacher unions met last week in an attempt to break the impasse, but there was no progress.
Participants included the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, the Director-General of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Benjamin Arthur, the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Minister of Employment and Labor Relations, Ignatius Baffour-Aluah.