The National Labour Commission (NLC) has officially summoned the leadership of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG) to appear before it on Wednesday, March 18, after the association failed to attend a scheduled mediation meeting today.
The March 11 hearing was intended to address the association’s ongoing industrial action. While government representatives from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Office of the Head of Civil Service were in attendance, CLOGSAG leadership was notably absent.
Executive Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Bernice Welbeck, expressed disappointment over the association’s absence, noting that no formal excuse was provided for their non-appearance.
“We expected them to come, but they didn’t come and also did not give any excuse. However, the Head of Civil Service, representing the government-employer and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission were present,” Dr. Welbeck stated.
The NLC had previously directed CLOGSAG to rescind its strike notice and engage in dialogue. Following the association’s refusal to attend the meeting or halt the strike, the Commission has declared the current industrial action illegal under Ghana’s labour laws.
Dr. Welbeck emphasized that legal protocols prevent the Commission from hearing the merits of a dispute while a party remains on an illegal strike.
“In the first letter we wrote to them, we asked them to rescind the decision and appear. Because they didn’t appear—and by law if a party is on strike without calling it off, the substantive matter cannot be heard—they have been asked to call the strike off and appear before the Commission next week,” she explained.
Addressing the possibility of a private resolution between the government and the association before the new deadline, Dr. Welbeck maintained that the summons remains mandatory.
“Well, if the issues are resolved, then once they have been summoned, they must come before the Commission to report,” she added.
The Commission continues to push for a resolution within the framework of national labour regulations to restore normalcy to the civil and local government sectors.