Health Finance Workers threaten strike over delayed salary negotiations
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) has given the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) until Monday, June 23, 2025, to resume and conclude stalled negotiations on the Association’s conditions of service or face industrial action.
In a letter dated June 18, 2025, and signed by its National President, Emmanuel Dennis Kofi Amoah, HASAG, expressed frustration over what it describes as a deliberate and unjustified delay by the FWSC in finalizing negotiations that began more than eight months ago.
The negotiations, which officially commenced in November 2023, have reportedly stalled despite numerous formal reminders from the Association.
HASAG maintains that the Commission has repeatedly failed to honor requests to reconvene the Standing Negotiating Committee (SNC), the platform mandated to deliberate and finalize employment terms for public sector workers.
The Association accuses the FWSC of breaching Article 13 (i) and (ii) of the SNC Rules, which stipulate that negotiations must be concluded within two months of commencement, with an additional two-week allowance in cases where unresolved matters remain.
The key concern, according to HASAG, centers on the financial component of the proposed conditions of service, issues the Association insists must be addressed immediately, given the growing economic pressures its members face.
“We find this delay not only unacceptable but a blatant disregard for due process and the welfare of health accounting professionals.
“We have exhausted all diplomatic channels and are left with no choice but to activate all lawful steps, including industrial action, should the FWSC fail to respond positively by Monday, June 23,” the letter stated.
The Association warned that any further delay in the negotiation process could have dire consequences for the effective running of financial operations within the Ghana Health Service and other public health institutions, especially as the country grapples with ongoing efforts to strengthen its healthcare delivery systems.
HASAG’s leadership further urged government stakeholders, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, to intervene and impress upon the FWSC the urgency of concluding negotiations to avoid nationwide disruptions.
“We are committed to serving our country, but we also deserve fair and timely treatment,” the letter emphasized.
If the parties fail to reach an agreement by the stated deadline, HASAG has indicated it will mobilize its members across all regions for a nationwide strike, an action that could paralyze the financial administration of the public health sector.
As of the time of publication, the FWSC had not issued any public response to the Association’s letter.
