The Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) of Ghana Trade Union Congress (TUC) has announced an indefinite nationwide strike at all public universities, beginning Monday August 19,2013. FUSSAG says its members will only return to work after concerns relating to their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure are addressed. The National Executive Council (NEC) of FUSSAG took the decision at an emergency meeting on Thursday, August 15, 2013. The meeting also deliberated on an earlier press statement issued on 31st July, 2013 and outstanding salary arrears of hospital staff. FUSSAG said it will withdraw the services of "all senior staff including nurses, pharmacists, hospital laboratory technologists, school teachers, cashiers and security officers". The members of NEC urged the Vice Chancellors Ghana (VCG), Government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to take steps to address the concerns to restore industrial harmony and avoid further disruption of the academic calendar of public universities. But in reaction, Cornelius Yawson,Director of Negotiation and Grievances of FWSC stated that there was no basis for FUSSAG to go on strike. He explained that market premium was given to labour groups who already had an element of market premium as part of their remunerations before they were migrated to the Single Spine Salary Structure. FUSSAG had not be part of this group and could not be expecting market premiums at this time, he said. He noted that government had published a white paper on market premiums that abolished any interim market premium that was paid to any labour group. Mr. Yawson revealed that FWSC had called FUSSAG to explain that according to the white paper, market premium is not a negotiable matter but a perogative of the government meant to attract a special group of skills in comparatively short supply. General Secretary of FUSSAG accused FWSC of withholding certain information from the leadership of the union. He said their demands also includes risk allowance which institutions like the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC)also enjoy.