The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, has appealed to the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to suspend its ongoing nationwide strike while the government works to address the concerns raised by the union.
CLOGSAG members began an indefinite strike on Monday, March 9, in protest over unresolved issues relating to their conditions of service and other workplace concerns. The industrial action has disrupted operations across several public sector institutions, with many government offices experiencing reduced services.
Speaking on the matter, Mr. Pelpuo acknowledged the concerns raised by the association but urged the leadership and members of CLOGSAG to allow dialogue and negotiations to continue without resorting to prolonged industrial action.
He stressed that the government remains open to engagement and is committed to resolving the dispute through constructive discussions.
“The government is fully prepared to engage and resolve these matters. A strike should be a last resort when dialogue has completely failed,” he said.
The Labour Minister emphasised that the government recognises the importance of maintaining strong cooperation between the state and organised labour. According to him, meaningful dialogue between the government and public sector workers is critical to ensuring stability within the public service and sustaining effective service delivery across the country.
Mr. Pelpuo further assured the union that authorities are taking steps to address their grievances and encouraged them to trust the ongoing process.
“We are listening, we are willing to talk, and we are urging CLOGSAG to reconsider the industrial action while we continue discussions,” he stated.
He also pointed out that the strike came as a surprise to the government, particularly at a time when discussions with labour groups were already underway to address some of the concerns raised by public sector workers.
“This strike has taken us by surprise. I will urge them not to go on strike but to believe the promise we made to get them what they want,” he said.
Mr. Pelpuo added that dialogue remains the most effective approach to resolving labour disputes and expressed optimism that the issues raised by the union could be settled without the need for prolonged disruption to public services.
“It will be worked on so we don’t have a situation where people stay at home to achieve an objective that can be achieved without staying at home,” he explained.
The minister reiterated that the government is determined to maintain a collaborative relationship with organised labour and will continue to engage stakeholders to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.
He therefore urged CLOGSAG to reconsider its decision and suspend the strike temporarily to allow room for further negotiations.
“Strikes should be the last resort,” he noted, adding that the government remains willing to listen and work with labour unions to address their concerns.
Despite the government’s appeal, CLOGSAG’s National Executive Council has indicated that the strike will continue, stating that the association remains dissatisfied with the current progress in resolving the issues at the centre of the dispute.
The development has heightened concerns about the potential impact of the strike on the delivery of public services, particularly in institutions that rely heavily on civil and local government staff for their day-to-day operations.
Labour observers say the outcome of the ongoing discussions between the government and CLOGSAG will be crucial in determining how quickly the impasse can be resolved and normal operations restored across the public sector.