The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has been urged to stop deducting allowances from the salaries of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) employees immediately in order to facilitate an amicable and successful resolution of the current impasse between the two parties. The Greater Accra Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has added its voice to these requests.
The GJA chapter in Accra stated in a statement on Monday, June 5, 2023 that “the deductions are creating serious financial, psychological, and emotional challenges for our members, a development which demands immediate attention.” The statement was signed by the chapter’s chairman, Charles Benoni Okine.
Since these allowances, according to what we’ve learned, have been fixed for the past 15 years and are a part of the negotiated and approved conditions of service, we find it particularly troubling that senior management staff have lost about 33% of their salaries as a result of the implementation of this directive.
He asked the Ministry of Information to intervene immediately to stop the deductions and allow for appropriate discussions on the topic, expressing amazement that “this purported ‘illegality’ has now come to the attention of the FWSC” after many years of implementation.
BELOW IS THEIR STATEMENT
The Greater Accra Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) wishes to add its voice to calls on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to cease, with immediate effect, the deduction of allowances from the salaries of our members and allow for an amicable and conclusive settlement of the current impasse.
We are informed that the deductions are creating serious financial, psychological and emotional challenges for our members, a development which demands immediate attention.
It has been established that senior management staff have lost about 33 per cent of their salaries following the implementation of a directive we find most disturbing in view of the fact that, these allowances, we are told, had been fixed for the past 15 years and are part of the negotiated and approved conditions of service.
The chapter finds it baffling that after many years of implementation, this purported ‘illegality’ has now come to the attention of the FWSC.
We call on the Ministry of Information, to as a matter of urgency, step in to stop the deductions and allow for proper discussions on the matter.
Much as we will not condone any illegalities, we also think that, our members should, under no circumstance, be made worse off because of a problem they did not cause.
The role of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation in information dissemination throughout the country and beyond cannot be over emphasized hence, the nation cannot stand aloof to watch the strike happen or the deductions continue.
All efforts must be made to ensure that, there is peace and understanding at GBC to prevent uninterrupted service to the nation. We also call on all affected workers, including our regional branch members to stay calm for the authorities to do what is right to maintain industrial harmony.
Signed
Charles Benoni Okine
