Mr Joshua Ansah, Secretary-General of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), made the call at a presidential dialogue with labour unions in Accra.
He said the proposed policy should go beyond annual percentage salary adjustments to ensure fair and adequate remuneration for workers.
“We need to move away from the piecemeal approach… to a situation where a living wage policy addresses the basic needs of workers and their families,” he said.
Mr Ansah noted that current wage levels remained inadequate, citing the national daily minimum wage of GH¢21.78, equivalent to about GH¢588 monthly, as insufficient to meet basic living costs.
He highlighted disparities within the public sector, stating that some workers depended solely on base pay while others received multiple allowances.
“About 80 per cent of workers on the single spine have some form of allowances, while the remaining 20 per cent have nothing,” he said.
On pensions, Organised Labour advocated the unification of pension systems to ensure equity, noting disparities in retirement benefits.
“The least pensioner earns about GH¢400, while another receives over GH¢200,000 monthly. This must be reset,” Mr Ansah stated.
He urged Government to expedite negotiations on conditions of service, warning that delays by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the Ministry of Finance could lead to industrial unrest.
Dr George Smith-Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, acknowledged structural challenges in the current pay system and called for reforms.
“…What is required now is structural reform of how remuneration is determined,” he said.
He noted that inconsistencies in salary structures and the reintroduction of multiple allowances had weakened the Single Spine Salary Structure and contributed to labour disputes.
Dr Smith-Graham said industrial actions had significant economic costs, stating that 22 strikes in 2024 cost GH¢1.47 billion, while eight strikes in 2025 resulted in losses of about GH¢635 million.
He expressed the Commission’s readiness to support reforms through stakeholder consultations.
The dialogue formed part of Government’s engagement with labour unions on public sector reforms and employment conditions.
Meanwhile, the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, Ghana (CLOGSAG), announced the suspension of its strike following Government assurances to address concerns over conditions of service.
GNA
