Judicial Service staff declare indefinite strike

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG ) has declared an indefinite strike over what it describes as failure of the government to review salaries of its members.

“No staff/member of JUSAG shall report to work tomorrw (Wednesday). Security personnel of the Judicial Service shall, however, report to work to protect life and property,” the President of JUSAG, Mr Alex Nartey, said at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday.

According to him, the government had failed to implement a report by a committee set up by the Judicial Council regarding conditions of service of staff of the Judicial Service.

He said the labour union embarked on the strike after extensive meetings with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and its rank and file.

“In view of the above, the leadership of JUSAG is left with no option but to declare an indefinite strike action to demand the assenting and implementation of the Judicial Council Committee report,” he said.

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Notice

On November 1, 2019, JUSAG served notice to embark on an industrial action beginning from November 13 this year as a result of the failure of the Ministry of Finance to review salaries of Judicial Service staff this year, in line with the biennial review of salaries of the staff which the ministry is obligated to carry out.

Rather, it said, the Ministry of Finance had slated 2020 for the salary review process.

The notice was copied to the Chief Justice, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations.

JUSAG strikes

JUSAG has embarked on or threatened an industrial action on a number of occasions in the past.

Last July, the association threatened to embark on a strike action in reaction to the Judicial Service’s delay in promoting its members as stated in an assessment report.

In June 2018, JUSAG threatened that its members would go on strike if the government failed to immediately address all outstanding issues pertaining to their conditions of service.

Also in May 2016, it declared an indefinite strike which crippled the courts, effectively bringing the justice delivery system to a halt.

Before then, in March 2016, the association had declared a nationwide strike to begin on April 1, 2016, but called it off after it received assurances from the government that the process for consolidation of salaries and allowances for its members would start on April 4, 2016.

It followed what the association said were delays in the implementation of the consolidated salaries and emoluments for its members.

During negotiations to find an amicable solution to the problem, the National Labour Commission ordered JUSAG to direct its members to return to work as negotiations continued.

However, members of JUSAG later went on strike due to the government’s failure to consolidate salaries and allowances of members as approved by the Judicial Council in 2012.