The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has expressed concern over the ongoing strike by National Identification Authority (NIA) workers, fearing it may undermine months of negotiation progress.
Prof Charles Oppong Adabo, Director of Grievances and Negotiations at FWSC, appealed to the workers to call off the strike and return to the negotiation table, emphasizing that engagement cannot continue amid industrial action.
“We will use the appropriate means to humbly request that you call off the strike so that we can continue with our negotiation,” he pleaded.
Prof Adabo noted that significant progress had been made on most concerns and expressed surprise at the indefinite strike declaration. “Negotiations have not stalled, so we are a bit surprised that they have declared an indefinite strike.”
The NIA workers began their strike on June 10, demanding better conditions of service and citing poor conditions and government delays in concluding negotiations on their allowances. Despite initially postponing the strike in March 2024, the union proceeded with the industrial action due to a lack of progress.
As a result, all NIA offices have ceased operations, leaving applicants stranded and unable to access essential services. Affected applicants have expressed distress and urged the government and relevant authorities to promptly address the workers’ concerns, fearing the impact of the strike will worsen if a resolution is not reached soon.
