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The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has described allegations by the National Executive Committee of Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) published in the Friday, February 3, 2012 edition of the Daily Graphic as unfortunate, misinformed, misleading and not factual. A statement issued by the Public Affairs Unit of the FWSC in Accra on Wednesday reacting to the publication explained that: �As at October 21, 2011, the Accounting Class had been migrated onto the Single Spine Salary Structure as per the Commission�s letter No. FWSC/D/SCR.30/Vol.1/13.� On the Top-Up Allowance, the Commission explained that in the Commission�s scheme of work, there was no allowance by name �Top-Up�. This is completely alien to the Single Spine Pay Policy.� The statement explained that all the allowances to be considered under the Single Spine Pay Policy had been categorised into four groups and were all well known to the stakeholders. "Among these allowances, there is no such thing as �Top-Up Allowance�. It is therefore absolutely false to state that the FWSC have paid a �top-up allowance�� to some institutions." The FWSC, therefore encouraged the National Executive Committee of CLOGSAG to produce names of institutions they were referring to as having been paid ��Top-Up Allowance�. The statement explained that conversion difference payment arose when the employee�s basic salary under the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) was lower than his/her existing basic salary prior to migration onto the SSSS. It said in order not to make an employee worse-off, the difference between the employee�s Single Spine basic salary and his/her previous basic salary was paid to him/her as a Conversion Difference. "In effect, the employee continues to receive the same basic gross salary as previously," it added. The FWCS explained that the Conversion Difference was in tandem with the principle that no employee would be made worse-off under the new Pay Policy. �It is therefore not possible for any employee to receive a negative salary. There is sufficient evidence to prove that some other employees in the Public Service are getting Conversion Difference and not only members of CLOGSAG." Commenting on the distorted single spine structure the FWSC said the removal of overlaps could not be said to be disadvantaged any Labour Union or Association. This is because all public service institutions including the Civil Service have their employees on these grades, and therefore, enjoy the benefits of the removal of overlaps. The statement said the decision to remove the overlaps was discussed at the 11th meeting of the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) held on Thursday, August 5, 2010. �At that meeting, it was decided that the Commission should try to remove all overlaps on the SSSS within the five-year implementation period of the new pay policy.� The Commission advised CLOGSAG to fully participate in meetings of the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) to be abreast with developments on the implementation of the SSSS, because that was where major decisions on the SSSS were taken collectively in the interest of Public Service employees. The FWSC appealed to the leadership of CLOGSAG to adhere to the ruling of Mr Justice Edward A. Asante, who presided on the case: CLOGSAG versus NATIONAL LABOUR COMMISSION AND FAIR WAGES AND SALARIES COMMISSION dated Wednesday, April 20, 2011. It read: �I also find that the setting up of the PSJSNC by the FWSC for the negotiation of the new pay policy by Trade Unions and Associations including the Applicant herein is not irrational or unreasonable but rather it is proper and the applicant is ordered to negotiate through the said umbrella body.� The statement said FWSC was and would always be committed to the great and dedicated workforce of the country. �We are doing our part. The National Executive Committee of CLOGSAG is also challenged to do theirs in the interest of their members. Our doors are always open for discourse and immediate redress, Meanwhile, with wide open arms we invite CLOGSAG individual members to contact us themselves for any information on the way forward, "the statement added.