The Federation of University Senior Staff University Association of Ghana (FUSSAG) of the Trade Union Congress has expressed dismay over the government�s intention to freeze salary increment this year, saying, it was not a panacea to the economic challenges facing the country.
A statement signed by the general secretary, Jacob Emmanuel Eshun said any attempt to freeze salary increment would worsen rather than advance the welfare of the Ghanaian worker and would create more problems for the country.
It described the decision as untenable in view of the adverse economic conditions that had eroded the value of wages and salaries of the Ghanaian worker and warned that the Association would resist any attempt to freeze salary increment.
The statement said such a decision would be arbitrary and not in the interest of their hard working members who make considerable sacrifices in the course of duty.
It reminded the government that any agreement to adjust wages and salaries upwards was largely informed by the cost of living to compensate for resultant erosion of the value of wages and salaries and that although productivity was one of the factors that influenced wage determination, there was no evidence to suggest that productivity in the public sector had worsened.
The statement drew the attention of the Minster of Finance to the fact that ultimate aim of any economy was to improve the welfare of the citizenry and that the use of the budget deficit to justify the freeze in wages and salaries could not be accepted.
It therefore suggested that the intention must be stayed to allow the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiation Committee to negotiate the 2014 minimum wage and base pay.
�The low salary level of University staff still remains unaddressed, hence any attempt at freezing increment would cause more harm than good,� the statement said.
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