JUSAG declares nationwide strike
The Judicial Service Staff Association (JUSAG) has again declared an indefinite nationwide strike with effect from today, over delays in the implementation of the consolidated salaries and emoluments of members of the association.
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According to JUSAG, the withdrawal of services would continue until all its demands were met.
In March 2016, the association declared a nationwide strike which was supposed to begin on April 1, 2016 but called it off after it received assurances from the government that the process for the consolidation of its members’ salaries and allowances would start on Monday, April 4, 2016.
At a press conference to declare the strike in Accra yesterday, the President of JUSAG, Mr Alex Nartey, said since the government had refused to fulfil its part of the bargain after it appealed to JUSAG members to call off the April 1, 2016 strike, the association had resolved not to call off the strike again until its demands were met.
“In view of the failed assurances, the National Executive Council (NEC) of JUSAG hereby directs the withdrawal of services by all staff of the Judicial Service, effective Friday, May 20, 2016 until the government implements the Judicial Council’s approved consolidated salaries,” he said.
He further directed all regional executives of JUSAG to ensure full compliance with the directive and urged its members to also comply.
Approved salaries
In 2012, the Judicial Council, after reviewing the conditions of service of staff of the Judicial Service, concluded in 2015 that the allowances and salaries of the staff should be consolidated into one salary.
The previous system where most of the allowances were paid on a quarterly basis, according to the association, was not the best because the allowances were never paid on time.
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After a painstaking period of consideration, the Judicial Council forwarded the approved salaries to the government for implementation in June 2015.
After a long wait, the association issued an ultimatum on March 2, 2016, demanding the implementation of the salaries.
Their concerns were not addressed, leading to the declaration of a strike on April 1, 2016 which was later called off.
Following assurances by the government after the first attempted strike, Mr Nartey recalled that the initial action declared in April 1, 2016 was shortlived, with the association hoping that its demands would be met.
A Presidential Committee, he said, was set up by the President to address the concerns of the members of JUSAG, but after a meeting with the committee on April 8, 2016, nothing had come out of it till now.
Although the Judicial Council was the appropriate body to meet the committee, he said, the group decided to meet the Presidential Committee and was asked to give the committee a week to resolve all issues.
“The Judicial Council and the association have fully satisfied the government with all necessary documents regarding the consolidated salaries,” he added.
When the association did not hear anything from the government after the meeting, it gave the government up to May 18, 2016 to implement the Judicial Council’s recommendation, but, according to Mr Nartey, nothing had come out of it so far.
“Double talk by govt”
“JUSAG has always employed dialogue to have our issues addressed. We are quick to respect the position of the government, since it lies within its mandate to address them.
“But the double talk and correspondence to have the said consolidated salaries implemented have not yielded the anticipated results,” he said.
He said the group could not come to terms with why the Judicial Council and the Chief Justice had approved the consolidated salaries but the government was not forthcoming with its implementation.
“We would like to put on record that the Chief Justice and the august Judicial Council have approved the consolidated salaries and forwarded same to the government since June 2015,” he stressed.
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He said the consolidated salaries were overdue, considering the poor conditions of service of members of the association.
When asked whether JUSAG had taken into consideration the impact of its strike, Mr Nartey said: “We play a critical role in governance; however, it seems the government does not care and so we have to resort to other means.”