The Secretary General of the Ghana Federation of Labour (GFL), Abraham Koomson, has expressed shock and disappointment at the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) for demanding a 50 per cent increase in base pay from the government.

According to Mr. Koomson, the demand is not only ill-timed but also undermines ongoing salary negotiations between Organised Labour and the government.

He described TEWU’s move as a betrayal that could weaken the collective bargaining efforts of labour unions.

TEWU recently announced its request for a 50% pay rise, citing the rising cost of living, high utility tariffs, and escalating fuel prices that have significantly eroded the real value of workers’ earnings.

The union maintains that only a substantial salary adjustment can cushion public sector workers from the current economic hardships.

However, reacting to the development on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu show on Saturday, October 11, 2025, Mr. Koomson described TEWU’s action as regrettable.

“I was really surprised that TEWU, being an affiliate of the TUC, would come out to demand a 50% increment.

I was shocked because it creates a bad impression that Organised Labour is not united,” he said.

He urged TEWU and other unions to verify the government’s claims that the wage bill consumes about 66% of the national budget instead of pushing for what he termed “unrealistic salary demands.”

“The government says the wage bill takes a huge chunk of its budget — about 66%.

That’s what labour unions should be investigating to know whether it’s true or not, instead of undermining the ongoing negotiations with such demands,” he stressed.

The GFL Secretary General also questioned TEWU’s timing, wondering why the union did not raise similar concerns during the tenure of the previous government when no negotiations were held.

“Last year, there were no negotiations even though the law required it, and we only managed to secure a 10% increment.

So why didn’t TEWU make these same demands last year?

It seems they are taking the new government’s openness as weakness,” he remarked.

Mr. Koomson concluded by calling for unity among labour unions, warning that a divided front would only dilute their bargaining power and ultimately harm the interests of workers across the country.