NLC gives FWSC a 14-day ultimatum to restore blocked allowances of GBC staff

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to reverse a decision to block the allowances of GBC workers.

In recent weeks, there has been a stalemate between GBC workers and the FWSC after the latter, through the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, ceased payment of allowances to some GBC workers.

The NLC described the FWSC’s directive as unlawful during a hearing on a complaint brought before it by the FWSC regarding threats by GBC staff to strike in demand of their allowances.

As a result, the Commission has given the FWSC a 14-day deadline to reverse its decision to eliminate the disputed allowances and reinstate all deductions from GBC employees’ salaries.

Meanwhile, GBC workers have welcomed the order by the NLC.

The workers had earlier presented a petition to the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations concerning the “illegal” directive.

They said that not only was the withdrawal of the allowances in violation of the Labour Act but that due process was not followed before the decision was prosecuted.

The Divisional Union Chairman of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Sam Nat Kevor, reacting to the order said he would have been surprised if things had not gone the way they did.

“I don’t think this is a game of who won or lost. I think that the NLC has made a correction. I would have been surprised if things did not go the way they did,” he stated.

Mr Kevor stated that the directive was with immediate effect and that the Union had also been directed to call off the intended strike, admitting that the two parties had accepted it because no objections had been raised.