CLOGSAG migration onto GTVET salary structure followed due process – FWSC

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) says the decision to migrate nearly 900 members of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education Training (GTVET) Service Salary Structure followed due process.

The Head, of Public Affairs of the Commission, Ms Emelia Ennin, in a statement, said that the process was conducted fairly and ensured no member of the association was made worse off.

Responding to concerns raised by CLOGSAG, the commission said it had not remained silent.

It said the migration stemmed from a request made by GTVET management in October 2023, following the passage of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).

“This law consolidated all pre-tertiary technical and vocational institutions under the GTVET Service, including those affiliated with CLOGSAG, such as Social Welfare Institutes, Community Development Vocational Institutes, and Government Technical Institutes,” it said.

According to the statement, the migration process involved 11,500 employees from 242 institutions, of which 942 were members of CLOGSAG, adding that CLOGSAG, however, expressed concerns after the new salaries were issued in August 2024.

“They claimed that their members were not properly consulted before the migration, lacked the option to choose between remaining in the Civil Service or joining GTVET, and that some employees had been downgraded from Level 21 to Level 19,”

“They also argued that there was inadequate sensitisation on the new Scheme of Service and that their union was excluded from the entire process,” she said.

In response to the claims, it explained that no employee had been downgraded as alleged, and that its migration data did not support such claims.

On the issue of providing options for employees to opt out of the migration and return to the Civil Service, the statement explained that it does not have the authority to make such provisions.

However, it said it had requested GTVET management to develop an option form for employees who wish to return to their former roles in the Civil Service.

The Commission also pointed out that sensitisation on the new Scheme of Service was not part of its mandate, but acknowledged that some employees had faced salary discrepancies due to conversion issues, which were being corrected.

The FWSC strongly rejected CLOGSAG’s claims that it had been unresponsive to their concerns.

“We went to CLOGSAG’s office on September 11, 2024, where discussions were held to explore solutions. The FWSC then organised an emergency meeting with key stakeholders such as the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, GTVET, and the Ministries of Education and Finance,” it explained.

However, the statement said the second meeting “ended abruptly” when CLOGSAG walked out, leaving many issues unresolved.

It also described CLOGSAG’s call for the removal of FWSC’s Chief Executive, Mr Benjamin Arthur, as “unfortunate and unfair.”

It also urged CLOGSAG to reconsider its planned strike action, which is set to begin today and encouraged the union to continue engaging with stakeholders to find lasting solutions.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring fair and equitable pay structures in the public service while working towards maintaining industrial harmony.