The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has given the government until the end of October to approve its members’ 2026 salary review, warning that failure to meet the deadline will trigger an indefinite strike from Monday, November 2.
The planned industrial action threatens to disrupt the operations of the Judicial Service as the association intensifies pressure on the government to conclude the salary review and pay outstanding arrears.
In a notice dated October 23, 2026, and addressed to the National Labour Commission, JUSAG demanded approval of the Judicial Council’s recommendations by October 31, with the revised salaries paid in November alongside arrears covering January to October.
The association said the decision followed months of delays despite repeated appeals to the Judicial Council, Judicial Service management and the government to expedite the process.
According to JUSAG, the Judicial Council has completed its work on the review and submitted its recommendations to the President for determination in accordance with Article 149 of the 1992 Constitution and the Judicial Service (Terms and Conditions of Service) Regulations, 2025 (C.I. 141).
JUSAG said it first wrote to the Judicial Council on January 19, 2026, urging it to accelerate the process, and followed up with another letter on September 10.
It also cited appeals made during its 2nd Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference in Tamale in August, the 45th AMJG Conference in Accra in September, and the Chief Justice’s Staff Durbar in Tamale, also in September.
The association said these engagements had produced assurances but no concrete action to secure approval and payment of the revised salaries.
It expressed concern that other public sector workers had received their reviewed salaries for 2026 in January, while Judicial Service staff remained without their revised pay as the year approached its final months.
The prolonged delay, it said, had increased tension among members and undermined staff morale, particularly as organised labour had already begun negotiations on the base pay for 2027.
Although JUSAG acknowledged the possible implications of a strike for justice delivery and national security, it said members had exercised restraint while waiting for the matter to be resolved.
The association said its National Executive Council had consequently set October 31 as the deadline for approval of the salary review.
“The NEC of JUSAG has further resolved that, if the demands are not met by Sunday, 1st November, 2026, JUSAG shall declare an indefinite strike commencing on Monday, 2nd November, 2026, and the strike shall remain in force until the demands are met,” the notice signed by JUSAG General Secretary Abdulai Yakubu stated.
The proposed strike places pressure on the government to resolve the outstanding salary review before the deadline and avert a potential interruption to Judicial Service operations.
