At this point listing the number of trade unions on strike or in the process of moving towards one would be an exercise in futility.

Irrespective, another group has joined the wagon, with the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) declaring their own indefinite strike, which kicked off this morning.

The University Teachers claim their book and research allowances for this year has still not been paid for the last academic year, despite them embarking on a strike for the same reason last year.

It’s the same things that keep cropping up and causing these strikes over and over again. Government must really be working hard to resolve all these grievances and stop the labour agitations that are just aggravating a stalling economy.

No, not really. According to our ‘dead goat’ President, he cannot accede to anybody’s demands, as it would break the spine of the single spine pay structure.

“Just yesterday, a friend was urging me to intervene and accede to the demand of the doctors. After all they are only 2,800 of them he told me. What he failed to realize is that there are 590,000 other public sector workers organized in 11 other professional groups lined up and just waiting to see what the doctors come away with from the negotiating table before they put in their own demands. This will adversely affect the single spine pay policy and could result in breaking the spine.” He said, speaking at the 80th anniversary celebration of the Ghana Registered Midwives Association in Accra.

“The right to negotiate by professional groups is sacrosanct and I believe that government and the medical officers must continue the dialogue of the conditions of service to arrive at an amicable solution in an atmosphere that is devoid of coercion.”

“Currently other negotiations are ongoing on other categories of allowances at the public services joint negotiation committee. Any agreements that are reached in respect of allowances of conditions of services will have to be appropriately captured in the budget. I will not authorize any expenditure on wages and compensation not provided for in the budget. Fiscal discipline requires that not a single pesewa is spent on remuneration outside what has been budgeted for,” he noted.

“This goes to both article 71 office holders and those on the single spine. It goes for the president as well as the lowest public sector employee. I’m determined to hold the line no matter the political cost. Our people have sacrificed enough,” the President added.