The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Dr George Smith-Graham, has expressed surprise that the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) remains on strike after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to allow further discussions on its salary concerns.
He emphasised that the Commission concluded negotiations with the association, secured an agreement and made the corresponding payments before agreeing to examine fresh proposals.
Speaking on the ongoing industrial action, Dr Smith-Graham explained that the FWSC has been working to address disparities in the Single Spine Salary Structure. As part of the exercise, he noted that negotiations concluded with “58 institutions, including GAUA, with the association’s previous negotiations settled and payments made.”
The CEO said the latest dispute arose after GAUA compared its negotiated outcome with that of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and raised objections over the difference in their earnings. He clarified that although the Commission acknowledged existing inequalities, the association completed its negotiations before presenting additional proposals for consideration.
According to Dr Smith-Graham, GAUA representatives visited his office about a week before the interview and signed an MoU allowing the Commission time to study proposals on salary equalisation. He explained that he had committed to responding by the end of October, given the need to consider the proposals alongside negotiations with other institutions and preparations for the next base pay discussions.
The CEO questioned why the association is still pursuing its industrial action after agreeing to the arrangement, describing the development as surprising because the parties documented their understanding. He also disclosed that the Vice-Chancellors Ghana leadership visited his office, where he showed them the signed MoU.
“It is not as if we’ve not concluded negotiations with you, but we’ll study your proposals and then get back to you by the end of October.”
Dr George Smith-Graham
Dr Smith-Graham further cautioned against prematurely declaring the strike illegal, noting that the authority to make such a determination rests with the National Labour Commission. His position is that the Commission completed its part of the earlier negotiations and is now considering the additional proposals submitted by GAUA.
FWSC CEO Explains Dispute Over GAUA Salary Equalisation
The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Dr George Smith-Graham, also outlined the history behind the salary disparities between university administrators and lecturers, as the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) continues its strike.
He explained that the current disagreement centres on a proposal to equalise the remuneration of administrators and members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).
Dr Smith-Graham said the issue dates back to the introduction of the Single Spine Salary Structure, when negotiations over lecturers’ salaries were influenced by an earlier government commitment to pay university lecturers an amount equivalent to US$1,500 in cedi terms.
He explained that, “the interim market premium was adjusted to help achieve that level of remuneration” with the arrangement initially applying to lecturers.
According to the CEO, university administrators were not included in the original agreement, but subsequent pressure from university leaders led to demands for similar treatment. He noted that the matter eventually went through compulsory arbitration, which directed the implementation of an arrangement intended to address the differences.
However, Dr Smith-Graham said disparities emerged again in 2016 after the government introduced other allowances without adjusting the interim market premium. He acknowledged that inequalities within the system, adding that the FWSC has been examining proposals to address them as part of its wider remuneration reforms.
The CEO nevertheless questioned whether equalising the pay of lecturers and administrators is an appropriate solution, arguing that the two groups have different professional roles and employment arrangements.
“Based on my research, no such country exists. Show me one country or one university in the world that has this equalization; it simply doesn’t exist.”
Dr George Smith-Graham
Dr Smith-Graham explained that GAUA’s latest proposal seeks to establish equal remuneration between university administrators and lecturers. He emphasised that the Commission has agreed to study the proposal, but insisted that this additional consideration did not invalidate the negotiations already concluded with the association.
The FWSC is also preparing for a new round of base pay negotiations, which the CEO described as a major exercise requiring attention before the national budget is presented. These discussions are taking place alongside efforts to transition towards the Independent Public Emoluments Commission and establish a more coordinated approach to public-sector remuneration.
Meanwhile, GAUA has stressed that its members’ grievances extend beyond monetary issues and that negotiations have not produced sufficient progress. The association has said the strike will continue until further direction from its national leadership, while the Education Ministry has invited GAUA and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission for discussions aimed at resolving the impasse.
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