The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has expressed concern about the wrong perception that the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy, (SSPP) would automatically mean an across board increase in the salaries of Public Service Workers.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday following concerns raised by the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) over the migration of staff of GES onto the Single Spine Salary Structure said “The basic objectives of the Policy are to correct distortions and inequities in salaries within the Public Services and also to streamline pay administration in the country.”
“The Commission is assuring all Public Service workers who fall under Article 190 of the 1992 Constitution, that the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy will not render any of them worse off.”
“The assurance follows fears expressed by certain groups of personnel particularly within the Ghana Education Service, (GES) that they would be disadvantaged with their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure, (SSSS).”
The statement said the Pay Policy, introduced in January 2010, was still at the implementation stage.
The Chief Executive of the Commission, Mr George Smith-Graham noted that “The mapping and migration of workers onto the Single Spine Salary Structure is just the first phase of the process.”
He said discussions on Standardisation and Harmonisation of Categories 2 and 3 Allowances which constitute the next phase would soon commence.
Mr Smith-Graham said Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff of the GES would draw their first salaries at the end of February 2011, following their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure.
NAGRAT’s concern is that the migration onto the SSSS has rendered some personnel within the GES worse off without any gains being recorded in their salaries.
Mr Smith-Graham explained that a greater number of the personnel in the GES would see improvement in their salaries noting that “No one will see a reduction in his or her pay”.