CLOSSAG Is Making “Illegal Demands”…We Can’t Grant Them – Fair Wages Boss

The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has reproved authorities and members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOSSAG) over their incessant demand for adjustments to be made in their Single Spine Pay Policy. Mr. George Smith Graham issued a strong caution to CLOSSAG, saying the FWSC won’t be repressed to give in to their demands. Calling for a cease fire over what he termed as “illegal demands" by the CLOSSAG, he narrated, during an interview with Radio Gold, several favours his outfit has done in order to resolve its conflict with CLOSSAG. He recounted that during the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy by the FWSC, CLOSSAG disputed the treatment meted out to them and so, the FWSC decided to succumb to their grievances. “When we started the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy, CLOSSAG came out and said that they are not interested in Single Spine and that would not want to be part of the Single Spine. They thought that the processes that we were putting in place are even abusing their human rights. And so, CLOSSAG went to the National Labour Commission and complained to the National Labour Commission that we are abusing their human rights and that they don’t want to be part of the Single Spine.” But CLOSSAG withdrew the case from the National Labour Commission and went to the High Court to challenge the FWSC. The court upheld the position of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and ruled that CLOSSAG should be part of the Single Spine Pay Policy, Mr. Graham further explained. Also, the FWSC engaged in a nationwide job re-evaluation for CLOSSAG and ensured that apart from about 2.5% of the members who were on conversion difference, the rest got salary increments by 80 percent to 120 percent. Responding to comments regarding the nationwide strike embarked upon by CLOSSAG members following what they termed as failure on the part of Government to pay their market premium, the FWSC Boss expressed disappointment in CLOSSAG stressing that there will not be any more compromises. "There were certain compromises that if it were today, I’m saying on authority, that we wouldn’t have given in to those compromises. But we gave in to those compromises and migrated CLOSSAG... “Such illegal demands; it cannot happen…If they continue to demand this premium or top up, I’m sorry Fair Wages and Salaries cannot grant that top up.”

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana