HASAG Threatens Strike Over Delayed Conditions of Service Negotiations

Jun 20, 2025 - 16:06

Accra, Ghana - 20 June, 2025 - Ghana's healthcare sector is on the brink of disruption as the Health Accounting Staff Association of Ghana (HASAG) threatens to embark on industrial action.

The association's long-standing dispute with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) over conditions of service has reached a boiling point, with HASAG accusing the commission of deliberate sabotage and unresponsiveness.

The negotiations, which began in November 2023, have stalled for over eight months, despite multiple requests from HASAG to resume talks. The association claims that the FWSC has ignored several formal requests and letters, breaching the agreed-upon timeline for negotiations. According to HASAG's National President, Emmanuel Dennis Kofi Amoah, the delay is causing "strong agitations and unrest" among its members.

The sticking point remains the financial components of the agreement, which were postponed for later discussion during the Standing Negotiating Committee (SNC) meetings last year. HASAG asserts that the FWSC's reluctance to set a firm date for final talks is a calculated attempt to "frustrate and dismember" the union. Some members have already defected to the Health Services Workers' Union (HSWU), which concluded its negotiations and is enjoying financial benefits.

In a letter dated June 18, 2025, HASAG demanded that the FWSC engage in urgent talks on June 23, 2025, to resume and conclude negotiations.

“This continued delay runs counter to the principles of good faith negotiations,” said the letter signed by HASAG’s National President, Emmanuel Dennis Kofi Amoah, warning that the unresolved issues are causing “strong agitations and unrest” among its members.

Failure to meet this deadline would leave the association with no choice but to pursue "lawful steps" under the Labour Act, potentially including industrial action. The association has also reported the delay to the National Labour Commission and is calling on relevant ministries to intervene urgently to avert disruption in the public health financial management sector.

Read the letter below;