Public Service workers in 65 state agencies declare indefinite strike

Public sector workers under the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have declared an indefinite strike action, effective Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

In a statement issued on July 8, 2022, the PSWU said that the main reason for its decision to embark on a strike action is the failure of the government to address its concerns for a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to alleviate the hardship on its members as a result of the current economic hardships.

“The over 27,000 workers within the over 65 public sector institutions that make up the PSWU feel the economic crunch in their pockets, with each passing day resulting in uncertainties of meeting basic needs. Obviously, a possible return to the IMF further complicates the economic uncertainties faced by public sector workers and flashes back memories of harsh labour policies that disadvantage the ordinary worker.

“Noticeably, a decision to enter into an IMF programme risks a return to a harsh industrial atmosphere rife of conditionalities such as sale of critical and well performing national assets, redundancies, freeze on employment, freeze in wages (an intention denied by His Excellency the President during his Remarks at the 1lth Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the TUC (Ghana) in Kumasi on 23rd March 2021)

“Consequently, at an Emergency Meeting of the Management Committee and representatives from the over 65 institutions that make up the PSWU, our members were left with no choice than to embark on a Strike effective Tues. 19th July2022 until our concerns are addressed,” portions of the statement released by PSWU said.

It added that another reason for its decision to strike was government’s failure to address concerns of its old and vulnerable pensionary who are suffering the most in the midst of this current economic hardship.

Read the full statement by the union below: