The Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has given government a 10 day ultimatum to upgrade their market premium or they would intensify their strike to include emergency services.
Members of the GHOSPA on Monday, September 5 declared an indefinite strike over demands for their market premiums. The association said their action was necessitated by a permanen
t breakdown in negotiations with government over its grade structure and placement in public health facilities, an issue which has lingered for about 6 years.
At a news conference in Accra, the leadership of the association said they are giving government a 10 day grace period to immediately upgrade them to a standardized status or they would be compelled to include emergency services including accidents, theater operations amongst others.
President of the association in an earlier interview on Accra based 3Fm indicated that “There is inequity in the market premium awarded to some categories within the same public sector and for instance those of us in the mainstream government hospital have a 0.5 whereas our colleagues in the university hospitals are 1.14”
It is on the back of this that the association has declared an indefinite strike.
The National Labour Commission recently dragged GHOSPA to court over the strike but the latter said it is not perturbed by the court action.
Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu has however hinted that government would not be able to do much about the situation but pleaded with the workers to return to work.
“There is little that can be done because it was not budgeted for in the 2016 budget, therefore government is unable to accede to their request,” Mr. Iddrisu said.
By Martin Asiedu-Dartey|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @3newsgh
