Staff of Ghana’s parliament are considering the idea of laying down their tools to draw the attention of the parliamentary service board to certain inequalities in the new pay policy.
A memo cited by the paper indicates that Union members are extremely dissatisfy with the new pay policy currently being implemented now and wants clarifications as well as adequate pay increase for those in level one to nine.
According to the new pay policy those above level team (10) and level nine (9) have various percentages; some had 27% and other up to 35% respectively. The Union Executives said “In April, 2004, when we had salary review by the then board, headed by RT. Hon. Speaker, Peter Ala Adjetey (of blessed memory), we were given 100% salary increment and (1) one year back pay” and want the current boarded headed by Speaker Doe Adjaho to do same.
Below is the summary of memo addressed to the parliamentary service board.
We write to respectfully draw the attention pf the parliamentary service board to some concerns raised by some members of staff concerning the implementation of new pay policy. In view of the revelations brought by the clerk and his team about the pay policy, it is quite clear that the policy favoured those from levels ten (10) and above. The rest of the levels from one to nine were not adequately enhanced.
Due to the above concern, we are appealing to the board to have a second look at the decision taken by the board as revealed by the clerk on the new pay policy.
From what was observed, level ten (10) and above were given about 150% while level one (1) to nine (9) have various ,percentages; some had 27% and other up to 35% respectively. However, we are not pleased with the modalities used in the implementation of the pay policy.
This is because we are in a dilemma whether the differences in our salaries are promotional or incremental. In view of this, the directive given by the board to the clerk and his team to engage the local union executives in the implementation of the new pay policy was not adhered to and they rather went ahead to implement the payment of salaries without the consult of the local union executives.
At a staff durbar on 30th January, 2014, the clerk and his team told us that the board only approved (3) three months back pay starting from 1st October, 2013 which we think is inadequate considering the long, time that we had to wait for the implementation. April, 2014, when we had our salary review by the then board, headed by RT. Hon. Speaker, Peter Ala Adjetey (of blessed memory), we were given 100% salary increment and (1) one year back pay.
From the above, we are appealing to the board to consider the following:
1. That, we would like 100% salary increment for levels 1 to 9 to close the wide gap of level 10 and above.
2. That, we would like the board to compensate the staff with one year back pay which we think would be pleasing enough.
3. That, we would like to know the duration of the policy, that is, whether it would be implemented 2-yearly, 4-yearly. Etc.