CLOGSAG,return to negotiation table

The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) last Wednesday embarked on a nation-wide strike to back its demand for the payment of its interim market premium.

Its contention is predicated on the fact that with the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) in 2010 which streamlined salary administration and adjusted the salaries of government workers, it feels that its members have been ignored.

The Daily Graphic, as an advocate of democracy and the rights that come with it, cannot fault the association for embarking on this line of action, as it is its constitutional right to do so.

We are, however, of the view that in a situation such as the association finds itself, negotiation remains a key factor in ironing out differences and arriving at a conclusion that will not have any adverse effect on the role that members of the association play within the national scheme of things.

We have witnessed a number of industrial actions in the recent past, and while the legitimacy of such actions remains largely unquestionable, it is high time we paused as a nation to critically reflect on the impact that such actions have on national productivity.

In some instances, issues that could be worked out in frank talks had led to needless strikes that affected key institutions and individuals in unimaginable ways.

Somehow, a certain kind of culture is emerging that industrial actions are effective tools that can be deployed to twist the arm of the government to acquiesce to the demands of the striking group.

Especially in an election year, when there is the tendency for people to think that the government, in its bid to hold on to power, would give in to the demands made by striking associations, the threat of strikes becomes quite rampant.

But, however strong the case of a group might be, we must endeavour to place the interest of our dear country first.

Nonetheless, the Daily Graphic entreats the government to take steps to identify the early warning signals from such bodies and nip them in the bud.

When such signals are picked, the relevant ministry or institution must take proactive steps in dealing with them before they blow out into a wide-scale industrial action.

That way, the government would not have to always take reactionary measures that come at great cost to deal with the concerns raised by those with grievances.

We have reached a point in our development life as a nation where we need to maximise all the available resources to speed up the processes and anything that serves to detract from this goal must be avoided at all cost.

The Daily Graphic, therefore, appeals to all associations to embrace harmony in all dealings and matters with the government and other employers in order to maintain industrial peace and harmony.