Organised Labour pledges support for IPEC establishment

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has pledged its full support to the government in the establishment of the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC). This commitment was expressed by the TUC's Secretary-General, Joshua Ansah, during a two-day meeting in Accra. Organized by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) alongside the Ministry of Labour Jobs and Employment, the event aimed to inform labour leaders about the upcoming transition to IPEC and gather their insights for the drafting of the IPEC Bill.

Ansah assured that Organised Labour would diligently oversee the process and contribute essential feedback to guarantee the commission's success. However, he emphasized the importance of continuous collaboration between labour groups and the government, urging the government to maintain their involvement throughout the entire process.

Speaking about public sector pay reforms, Ansah stressed the need for a comprehensive and holistic approach rather than a fragmented or half-hearted method. He cautioned against a piecemeal strategy, insisting that the new compensation framework should be fair, transparent, and equitable for all public sector employees. The proposed IPEC Bill aims to replace the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission Act, 2007 (Act 737), and will tackle issues such as pay fragmentation, the politicization of salaries, and increasing wage bill pressures.

With the aim of creating a sustainable compensation system, the meeting, titled "Towards an Independent, Equitable, and Sustainable Compensation System: Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Ghana’s Public Sector Pay Reforms," brought together representatives from more than fifty labor organizations.