Ghanaian workers Friday chose the celebration of Labour Day to serve government a notice that their patience over outstanding salary issues is thinning very fast. Mr. Kofi Asamoah, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress of Ghana, (TUC), said a large majority of Ghanaian workers, including those employed in the formal economy receive take home pay that does not take them home or assure anyone of a decent living standard. Workers were therefore very disappointed when the government suspended the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Pay Structure to address the issues of low wages and inequalities in public service. Mr. Asamoah was addressing a parade of Ghanaian workers at the Independence Square in Accra to mark Workers' Day under the theme; Improved standard of living through decent work, a pre-requisite for sustaining democratic governance. In attendance also were President J.E.A. Mills, his vice John Dramani Mahama and several ministers of state and the leadership of organized labour. Describing the recent increase in the minimum wage as largely nominal and of ‘no real gain’, given the prevailing rate of depreciation of the cedi against the other trading currencies, and inflation, Mr. Asamoah said Ghanaian workers this year are likely to experience a significant fall in real wages, which will also have serious implications for the decent work agenda and poverty reduction. He warned that “The principle of equal pay for equal work has not been fully integrated into the reward system of both public and private sectors of the economy. We are therefore appealing to government to expedite action on the implementation of the single spine pay structure… After waiting for so long the patience of public sector workers is almost exhausted and we think that government should take a very serious note of that”. He said the recent payment of ex-gratia to some public servants typified the yawning discrimination and inequality within the public sector, questioning “Why and why should some public officials be paid fat ex-gratia awards while others are denied End of Service Benefits? What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander. We therefore call for the restoration of ESB for all workers.” Noting the presence of President Mills and Vice President John Mahama and ministers of state as an ample proof of government’s recognition of the strategic role of workers in the socio-political development of Ghana, Mr. Asamoah commended Ghanaian workers for their endurance and spirit of sacrifice. He expressed the hope that under the National Democratic Congress government, employers and all other stakeholders in the world of work would give serious consideration to labour issues considered under the theme of the celebration.