The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has suggested a substantial increase in salary for public sector workers to help mitigate the impact of the postponement of the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS). The association said postponement of the SSSS coupled with the recent hikes in fuel prices had brought economic hardship to workers hence the need for the government to increase their salaries to cushion them pending the implementation of the new salaries in January 2010. Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, National President of GNAT, said this at a meeting with members of the association at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South District as part of a six-day tour of the Ashanti Region by national officers of GNAT. “Since the January 2009 deadline could not be met, government should compensate us by increasing our salaries at this year’s salary negotiations,” he said. He appealed to the government to respond to organized labour’s proposal for urgent negotiations, stressing that payment of the new salary should take effect from January 2009 and must not go beyond July 2009. Mr Adjei said copies of the Road Map which would lead to the implementation of the SSSS would be made available to members to enable them closely monitor the process to avoid another postponement in 2010. Mr Adjei commended teachers in the region for their solidarity to GNAT on its position on the implementation of the SSSS. On the National Pension Act implementation, he said the delay in the inauguration of the National Pension Authority left much to be desired and urged government to involve stakeholders in its implementation without further delay. Mr Anthony Appiah, First National Trustee of GNAT, urged teachers to remain calm as the leadership of the association is committed to fight for improvement in their working conditions. He said embarking on strike action must always be a last resort and insisted on negotiation which he said was an effective tool to seek redress. Mr Appiah said it was not true to say the leadership of GNAT had always been in bed with successive governments and assured members that the leadership would always promote their interest. Source: GNA