The Public Services Workers’ Union, operating under the umbrella of the Trades Union Congress Ghana, has issued a strong appeal to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to without delay implement the agreed Institution Specific Allowances owed to workers within its designated member institutions, warning that continued delay could trigger a return to industrial action.
In a formal communication addressed to the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Dr George Smith-Graham, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the union stated that the allowances were concluded on March 31, 2026, under an Interim Operational Allowance arrangement intended to stabilise labour relations across affected public sector institutions.
The union explained that the agreement was expected to take effect from April 2026, following its successful negotiation and formal signing between the commission and the labour representatives. It further indicated that this agreement played a crucial role in preventing an earlier planned strike action, thereby restoring temporary industrial calm within the public service.
However, according to the union, the failure to fully implement the agreed terms has created frustration among workers and is beginning to generate growing tension within the affected institutions. It noted that members were increasingly agitated as they awaited the operationalisation of the allowances that were meant to reflect the negotiated settlement.
The Public Services Workers’ Union cautioned that if the agreed payments are not effected by Tuesday June 30, 2026, it may be compelled to reassess its current position, including the possibility of reinstating previously suspended industrial action measures.
In the letter signed by Mr John Nii Donu Sampah, Deputy General Secretary of the union, the PSWU emphasised that it continues to rely on the cooperation and responsiveness of the commission in resolving the matter amicably, while underscoring the urgency of fulfilling the financial commitments already agreed.
Copies of the correspondence were also directed to key state institutions including the Minister of Finance, the National Security Coordinator, the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, and the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress Ghana, as well as all affected member organisations, signalling the wide institutional relevance of the dispute.
The development highlights ongoing tensions within Ghana’s public sector wage administration framework and reinforces the central role of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission in maintaining industrial harmony. It also underscores the fragile balance between negotiated labour settlements and timely policy implementation, a factor that continues to shape labour relations across the country’s public service landscape.
