The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has denied media reports attributing comments to its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, that teachers participating in the ongoing strike would have their salaries deducted for every day they remain away from work.
The Commission said the reported comments do not represent a statement made by its Chief Executive or the official position of the Commission on the industrial action by the three pre-tertiary teacher unions.
In a press release, the FWSC appealed to the public and the media to disregard the reported comments and any conclusions drawn from them.
The Commission explained that its current engagement with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) is focused on dialogue and negotiations to address outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service.
The clarification comes amid the nationwide strike by the three teacher unions, which commenced on Monday, September 28.
As part of efforts to resolve the impasse, the FWSC on Tuesday October 6, engaged the leadership of the three teacher unions in negotiations.
The meeting, chaired by Dr George Smith-Graham, was attended by GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba, PRETAG President King Awudu Ali, and other union leaders.
According to the Commission, the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss the outstanding issues and demands raised by the unions.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr Smith-Graham said the engagement would be reconvened at a later date to enable the Commission to undertake further consultations on the demands presented by the unions and engage relevant stakeholders before negotiations resume.
The FWSC said its involvement followed an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, with the leadership of the three teacher unions on September 28, following the commencement of the strike.
The Minister subsequently indicated that the FWSC would spearhead the next phase of formal negotiations on behalf of government.
The Commission commended the leadership of the unions for the peaceful manner in which the meeting was conducted and reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement towards finding a mutually acceptable and sustainable resolution to the outstanding issues.
It further urged the public, media and all stakeholders to rely on verified information from the Commission and other appropriate authorities regarding developments in the negotiations.
The FWSC said it remains committed to promoting fair, transparent and sustainable compensation arrangements while fostering harmonious industrial relations within Ghana’s public service.
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