The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has conducted an urgent meeting with the Mortuary Workers Association of Ghana (MOWAG) to address their grievances and prevent a nationwide strike slated for October 26, 2024.
The workers had previously alerted the government, including the Ministry of Health and FWSC, about their intention to strike due to unresolved issues affecting their working conditions.
The government team, consisting of officials from FWSC, the Ministry of Finance, teaching hospitals, and the Mortuary and Funeral Facility Agency (MOFFA), met with the mortuary workers to hear their concerns.
Key issues raised included the inadequate provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), delays in payment of COVID-19 bonus arrears, unpaid overtime allowances, and the lack of clearance for recruiting new mortuary staff to alleviate the burden on current workers.
At the end of the meeting, both parties agreed on seven commitments to address the workers’ demands.
- MoH with the support of Mortuary and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA) to ensure immediate provision of PPEs by all facilities/agencies.
- FWSC will work together with MoFFA to get the Labour Department to conduct labour inspection in all public mortuaries to ascertain the working conditions in these areas to inform the remedial measures.
- MoH to write to MoF to seek replacement for separated staff and clearance for recruiting more mortuary workers to ease the pressure on the current MOWAG workforce.
- MoH to furnish FWSC with the list of MOWAG members who are beneficiaries of the Covid-19 bonus arrears for onward submission to MoF for payment.
- On the issue of commuted overtime allowance, the audit for the outstanding fourteen (14) people has been completed and same given to MoF for payment. FWSC to write a reminder to MoF for immediate payment.
- MoH to direct the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Christian Hospitals Association of Ghana (CHAG) to pay all arrears of Uniform Washing and Cleaning Allowance by November 2024.
- FWSC to write to remind all Facilities/Agencies to pay the Uniform Washing and Cleaning Allowance for 2024 since the August deadline has elapsed.
The government also appealed for a two-week suspension of the strike to allow time for the implementation of these commitments.