…Union insists workers are suffocating under economic hardship
The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) has stood by its demand for a 50 per cent increase in base pay, arguing that the call reflects the harsh economic realities confronting public sector workers rather than any attempt to undermine organised labour unity.
TEWU’s request, which has drawn sharp criticism from the Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, stems from rising inflation, surging fuel prices, and increasing utility tariffs that have eroded the purchasing power of workers.
Mr. Koomson, speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu show on Saturday, described TEWU’s demand as “ill-timed” and a “betrayal” of ongoing collective bargaining efforts. He expressed concern that such unilateral actions could weaken labour’s negotiating strength with the government.
But sources within TEWU say the union’s position is justified, given the worsening economic conditions faced by workers in the education sector. They argue that many members struggle to meet basic needs, and a bold pay adjustment is the only realistic way to address the crisis.
According to TEWU officials, the government’s claim that the wage bill consumes 66% of the national budget should not be used to silence legitimate labour concerns. “Workers cannot continue to carry the burden of economic mismanagement,” one union representative noted.
The dispute has exposed growing tensions within the labour front, particularly between the GFL and other union affiliates under the Trades Union Congress (TUC). While Mr. Koomson has urged unity and restraint, TEWU maintains that inaction will only deepen the plight of low- and middle-income workers.
Mr. Koomson, however, insists that the unions must verify government data before pressing demands he considers “unrealistic.” He warned that disunity could harm all workers in the long run, stressing that “a divided front will only weaken our bargaining power.”
The debate over the proposed 50% increment underscores the delicate balance between labour solidarity and the urgent need to protect workers from the country’s deepening cost-of-living crisis.
