The Minority has slammed the recent public sector salary agreement for 2027 and 2028 as “nothing short of an insult”.

This follows the government’s announcement of a 9% salary increase for public sector workers, effective January 1, 2028, after an agreement reached between the government and Organised Labour on October 28.In a statement reacting to the newly signed Multi-Year Public Service Remuneration Agreement, finalised on October 28, 2026, the Caucus said the 8% increase in base pay and 1% adjustment in conditions of service would do little to ease the financial pressure on workers.

"To offer Ghanaian public sector workers a meagre 9% total remuneration increase for 2027 (8% base pay and 1% conditions of service) and 10% for 2028 is nothing short of an insult," the statement said.

The Minority also criticised the 10% increase agreed for 2028, arguing that the two-year arrangement failed to adequately account for the rising cost of living.

It said the proposed adjustments were particularly concerning given the increases in electricity and water tariffs, transport fares, rent and cooking gas prices over the past two years.

According to the Caucus, electricity tariffs have increased by approximately 29% since the beginning of 2025, while water tariffs have risen by about 18% over the same period.

It argued that these increases, alongside other household expenses, were eroding workers' purchasing power despite successive salary adjustments of 10% in 2025 and 9% in 2026.

"Public sector workers have faced suppressed annual adjustments of 10% in 2025 and 9% in 2026, and are now locked into 9% for 2027. These adjustments drastically lag behind cumulative inflation and erode purchasing power," the statement said.

The Minority further questioned the role of Organised Labour in the negotiations, saying union leaders had previously assured workers that they would push for a significant increase in the 2027 base pay.

It expressed disappointment that the leaders eventually accepted a 9% adjustment and committed workers to a two-year remuneration framework.

"Workers are asking, and rightly so, whether their leaders went to the table to defend their wages or to deliver industrial peace for Government," the Caucus said.

The statement recalled that some union leaders had described the 9% increase agreed for 2026 as "woefully inadequate" but still accepted the arrangement.

It urged members of labour unions to demand explanations from their leadership on the proposals presented during negotiations and the reasons for accepting the latest agreement.

The Caucus also questioned the use of the transition from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to the Independent Public Emoluments Commission (IPEC) as a justification for adopting a two-year remuneration framework.

Describing the arrangement as a tactic to restrict workers' bargaining position, the Minority said the transition should not be used to impose what it called "poverty wages" on public sector employees.

The Minority has consequently called for an immediate reconvening of the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC) to review the agreement and establish a remuneration framework that reflects the actual cost of living.

It further demanded that future wage negotiations take into account increases in utility tariffs and other essential household expenses.

The Caucus also urged Organised Labour to publish the proposals it submitted during the negotiations and explain to its members the basis for accepting the two-year agreement.

"The Ghanaian worker deserves dignity, economic justice, and a fair share of national prosperity," the statement added.

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