Minimum wage increase to GHC 6.00

The National Tripartite Committee (NTC) has announced that the National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW) for 2014 be increased by 14.5 per cent that is, from GH ₵5.24 to GH₵ 6.00. The increment follows concluded consultations by the NTC made-up of the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, Organised Labour and the Employers Association of Ghana, in Accra on Friday. Besides, the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiation Committee (PSJSNC) comprising the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and Organised Labour have also concluded negotiations on public sector wage adjustment. According to the PSJSNC the 2014 Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to be paid in lieu of an increase in the base pay on the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) would be 10 per cent of the 2013 basic salary. The effective date of implementation of the NDMW and COLA is May1. Nii Armah Ashitey, Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Chairman of the NTC speaking at a news conference to announce the NDMW called on organisations whose daily minimum wage are below the NDMW to adjust it wages to reflect the new increment accordingly . He stated that the NTC has recommended that the NDMW should be tax exempt. He urged Organized Labour to use dialogue to solve their problems rather than confrontation. Mr Seth Tekper, Minister of Finance noted that the conclusion of the NDMW and base pay was milestone in the salary negations. He said the negotiation of the NTC has been unique in one respect after the migration of the SSSS. He said for the first time in two decades government has been able to manage salary rationalisation to its logical conclusion. Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said it was refreshing that NTC was able to conclude negotiations on NDMW. He said what Organised Labour succeeded in doing is to put up a bench mark where no employee should not be paid below that. He said Organised Labour would have wished to have more but the outcome is what came out of the negotiations.