Ban on salary, allowance dollarisation still in force – FWSC to UTAG

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has reminded members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) that the ban on the dollarisation of salaries and allowances is still in force.

The reminder comes because the Commission said in advancing their arguments in support of the restoration of the value of lecturers’ remuneration to pre-Single Spine Pay Policy, the university lecturers, who are currently on strike over their salaries and allowances, have made references to the dollarisation of salaries of senior members of staff during the Kufuor era.

Explaining what led to the cancellation of dollarisation of salaries, FWSC said “following protracted negotiations and the frequent disruption of the academic calendar, the government agreed with the Standing Joint Negotiation Committee of the universities to develop a five-year roadmap to solve the problem and pay rates that are mutually acceptable”.

“The roadmap then sought to improve the levels of remunerations of universities senior members to a minimum of the cedi equivalent of $1,500 by December 2008. The greed amount was to cover basic salary and various allowances”.

“After the end of the road map (2004-2008) general increase in salaries approved by will apply to academic senior members”.

“At a meeting held on 15 December 2011 to discuss the migration of academic members of public universities onto the single spine salary structure, it was agreed, among others, that ‘The migration brings to an end the dollarisation of the basic salary, professional allowance and special book allowance of academic senior members of the public universities,’” FWSC explained in a statement.

The communiqué to that effect, according to the statement, was signed by the Chief Executive of FWSC and the National President of UTAG on the above-stated date.

The statement stated that the dollarisation of salaries and allowances, therefore, ceased with the migration of senior members of the public universities onto the single spine salary structure and Government policy on the matter has not changed.

FWSC has, therefore, implored members of UTAG to respect the contents of the communiqué.