Government must pay workers akin to inflation rate — TUC

Mr Emmanuel Addo-Kumi, the Vice-Chairman of the Greater Accra Branch of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC) stressed the need for government and employers to pay workers akin to the inflation rate of Ghana.

“It is time for the government and other employers to pay workers living wages to cushion them against the high inflation the country is experiencing. Workers had suffered a lot with meagre salaries while the prices of everything were increasing daily, Mr Addo-Kumi who is also the Vice-Chairman of the Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) has reiterated.

Mr Addo-Kumi, who was interacting with the media monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema on Wednesday also stressed the need for private employers to also give good remuneration to their employees as such high inflations and economic hardship also affects them.

“We talk of government workers, but private workers are also suffering, even the media are suffering some are just given meagre salaries without even having any bearing on the minimum wage.

“We need a living wage irrespective of where the workers are working, private, state organizations, or public service, we are calling on the leadership to ensure that proper remuneration is put in place so that the worker also will have the heart to deliver what they have to deliver for a better Ghana,” he said.

Mr Addo-Kumi said the aim of the government to achieve Ghana Beyond Aid, would not materialize without the contributions of employees, therefore the need to give them the better condition of service, wages, and logistics as that was the only way to get them to pay their dues to the vision.

“Everybody is praying that Ghana Beyond Aid will be successful and then, we will be able to industrialize our nation, this calls for sacrifices.

“I can say on authority that workers are sacrificing, therefore we are calling on employers also to give befitting salaries and again the personal protective gears for them to work with,” he said.

He indicated that to achieve success in the labour front and work environment, there must be harmony between government, workers and employers.

He also appealed to workers to work wholeheartedly having the future in mind, as he reminded them that whatever they do today, in future, they would account for it, therefore it was important for them to work assiduously, project and promote the nation Ghana.

Mr Addo-Kumi advised unions not to put their effort into demanding many allowances but rather think about requesting things that would benefit them when they go on pension and are no longer in active service.

He said unions must push for proper pay and increase in their base salaries which determines what they would be receiving when on retirement instead of focusing on what would benefit them immediately, saying allowances could always be cancelled but an increment in the salary would always benefit them.