The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Dr George Smith-Graham, says that negotiations between the commission and the striking pre-tertiary teacher unions have stalled over a demand for the introduction of a new allowance.

According to Dr Smith-Graham, the FWSC is currently operating under a transitional arrangement as Ghana moves towards the establishment of the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC).

He explained that under this arrangement, unions whose conditions of service have expired are expected to focus on improving existing allowances rather than undertaking comprehensive negotiations on new conditions of service.

Speaking on Accra-based Channel One TV on Tuesday, October 6, Dr Smith-Graham said the teacher unions’ demand for a new allowance had become a major point of disagreement in the negotiations.

“The transitional arrangement is that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is in transition, and so within this transitional arrangement there should be no holistic negotiations on conditions of service.”

“They are supposed to be identifying allowances within the unions whose conditions of service have expired and enhance them, but they are looking at it differently. They want even an introduction of a new allowance, and that is what we are discussing.”

The impasse comes as the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Pre-Tertiary Education Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) continue their nationwide strike over outstanding concerns relating to their conditions of service, promotion arrears and allowances.

A meeting between the FWSC, the Ghana Education Service and the three unions on Tuesday ended without an agreement, with the parties expected to reconvene on Wednesday.

The unions have indicated that the strike will remain in force until their concerns are resolved.

Dr Smith-Graham, however, said the FWSC remained committed to engaging the unions despite the disagreement over the scope of the negotiations.

“It’s a mandate the rank and file has given to them so we have no choice but to engage them and let them know that this is the situation,” he said.

He also dismissed suggestions that the FWSC entered the negotiations without the necessary authorisation from the Finance Minister.

“Absolutely not,” he said, insisting that he had been given a mandate by the Finance Minister since January.

According to Dr Smith-Graham, the FWSC has negotiated with 59 unions and organisations this year, with several of those engagements being concluded within a few hours.

He attributed the difficulty with the teacher unions to what he described as their attempt to move beyond the transitional arrangement currently guiding the negotiations.

“It is a struggle because maybe, to put it bluntly, they are trying to go out from the transitional arrangement that we have. That is what is bringing about the change,” he said.

Despite the disagreements, the FWSC CEO said negotiations would continue as the Commission seeks to reach an agreement with the unions.

“I want to finish this negotiation before the end of the week,” he said.