Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has entreated members to continuously lay down their tools and ignore the appeal by management of Judicial Service to call off the strike.
Judicial Service in a statement dated May 25, 2023 and signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela A. Addo, said the management received the news of the strike with a grave concern.
It added that even though management made effort to resolve the matter, JUSAG executives failed to attend a meeting to deliberate on the ongoing salaries and allowances discussions between them and government.
Accordingly, it said the Ministry of Finance has agreed to meet with the Judicial Service this Wednesday, May 31 for further engagement on the matter.
Hitherto, the statement continued, management had assured JUSAG that the concerns outlined in their press release issued on May 24, were being addressed and, therefore, requested the cooperation of the Association in resolving the matter.
“To this end, Management of the Judicial Service is appealing to JUSAG to call off the strike action in order to participate in the above-mentioned engagement. This will ensure a timely resolution of the matter,” it added.
But this appeal from the Judicial Service has been rejected by JUSAG and called on its members to remain resolute. “We are still on strike. No staff should report to work until we have our demands met and a directive given by JUSAG,” a staff notice signed by Abdulai Yakubu, General Secretary, JUSAG on May 26, 2023 said.
JUSAG declared the indefinite strike on Wednesday this week to press home their demands for unpaid allowances and upward adjustment of salaries.
It said although the government has consistently increased taxes, scrapped Cost of living allowance (COLA) and increased salaries of other sector workers, JUSAG members did not benefit from the latter decision of the government.
Meanwhile, the government has also failed to implement recommendations on the review of their salaries.
JUSAG said apart from the judicial service core mandate of resolving disputes, it has also generated GH¢2 billion through fees, fines and among others for the state over the last decade.
