Salary negotiations between the Government of Ghana and Organised Labour for 2026 are expected to conclude by the end of August, according to assurances from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
The talks, which have become a focal point of national discourse, are aimed at resolving growing dissatisfaction among public sector workers over recent pay adjustments.
Earlier this year, the government approved a 10 percent salary increase for over 700,000 public sector employees under the Single Spine Salary Structure.
However, the increment was met with widespread discontent from Organised Labour, which described the adjustment as “woefully inadequate.”
The dissatisfaction has since fueled calls for a more substantial raise, with sources within Organised Labour indicating that a proposal for an increase exceeding 50 percent is likely to be tabled.
Despite the mounting pressure, FWSC Chief Executive Officer Dr. George Smith Graham has urged unions to moderate their expectations and approach the negotiations with a spirit of compromise.
“So, we will negotiate and come to a consensus so labour can come with whatever proposal. You are mentioning 50 percent, labour has not proposed any such thing to us so as far as we are concerned, we are going to negotiate and what we come out with—the consensus—will be what we go with. By the close of the month, we should be able to conclude,” Dr. Graham stated.
The call for restraint was echoed by the Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo, who emphasized the need to consider broader economic indicators during the negotiation process.
“We know that the time is getting closer, we need to do it before January, even before December. We are eager to make sure we take all issues under consideration that have direct impact on labour earnings,” he said.
Dr. Pelpuo further explained, “Taking all into consideration, what has the cedi done of late? What has inflation done of late? What is the total cost of living—is it affecting them so much so that what they earn today will not be equal to what they will earn next year? We will take all that into consideration and negotiate.”
As the negotiations proceed, the conversation around wage disparities and systemic inequities continues to dominate the labour space.
There is renewed advocacy for the establishment of an Independent Emoluments Commission, which many stakeholders believe could offer a sustainable solution to Ghana’s persistent wage-related disputes.
Dr. Graham expressed optimism about the proposed Commission, noting its potential to address long-standing concerns.
“The labour agitations are based on the inequities that exist. These ones—we are resolving them on a daily basis, every single day we resolve one issue or the other, so we will continue resolving the issues as we move on to the implementation of the independent emolument commission,” he said.
He added that the Commission, once established as a constitutional body, would help insulate salary negotiations from external influences and ensure fairness across all levels of public service.
“The Independent Emolument Commission will help address all labour agitations. The fact that it is going to be a constitutional body is a very important thing. If you have a constitutional body, it takes away some of the influences that are likely to come outside the mainstream negotiations,” Dr. Graham explained.
“And again, because Article 71 is coming on board, nobody can complain that the Article 71 office holders are being cheated more than all the public servants.”
With just weeks remaining before the expected conclusion of talks, stakeholders are watching closely.
The outcome will not only determine the financial outlook for hundreds of thousands of workers but could also set the tone for future wage negotiations and labour relations in Ghana.
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