Government has resolved to increase Base Pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) by 30 percent across board for the year 2023.
The decision was taken following series of negotiations between government and Organised labour having previously ended inconclusively after several meetings beginning in November 2022.
The increment, which is at the existing pay point relativity of 1.7 percent had to be reviewed following pressure from the various labour unions to government over the last couple of months.
The effective date for the implementation of the new base pay is January 1, 2023, an indication that there is a possibility of backdating at least.
The government and organised labour agreed to the new base pay yesterday, January 12, 2023, after negotiations on the 2023 SSSS.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG), Isaac Bampoe Addo, Organised Labour had gone to the negotiation table with a 60% Base Pay proposal but after several engagements there had to be a middle-level agreement.
The agreement was signed between the government, represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) and Ministry of Finance and Organised Labour comprising workers’ unions associations and institutions within the Public Services of Ghana.
Background:
Organised Labour had tabled a 60% base pay citing the rising inflation and the 15% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) granted on the National Daily Minimum Wage as grounds for their proposal.
In a press release they opined a huge gap has been created between the National Daily Minimum Wage and the Base Pay as a result of accepting COLA instead of normal salary increase and granting increases in the National Daily Minimum Wage.
They argued that the 2022 daily Base Pay on the 2022 Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) which until now pegged at 16.26% was far below the 2022 daily minimum wage.
