Govt Addresses JUSAG Strike Threat with Mediation

The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has described the decision by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) to embark on an indefinite strike as regrettable, assuring that established mechanisms will be activated to address the situation.

Addressing the press on Wednesday as part of the Government Accountability Series, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said while the strike action is undesirable, the government remains committed to resolving the dispute through laid-down industrial relations processes.

The JUSAG strike is regrettable. It’s not a desirable situation. But I’m sure that there are long-established protocols and processes to address industrial action, and those will be triggered to address whatever disputes or grievances that may have occasioned this threat of a strike or a strike.

His comments come on the back of JUSAG’s announcement of an indefinite nationwide strike set to begin on Monday, January 19, a move expected to disrupt court operations across the country.

In a formal notice to the National Labour Commission, JUSAG said the action was necessitated by government’s failure to pay eight months of salary arrears owed to its members since last year.

The association described the situation as unbearable, insisting that judicial service workers can no longer endure the persistent delays in payments.

At the centre of the dispute is a 10 per cent base pay increase for 2025, approved by the President for all public sector workers, including judicial staff, and expected to take effect from January 1, 2025.

JUSAG maintains that despite the approval, its members have not received the associated adjustments and arrears.

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