Court Dismisses Labour Commission�s Directive To Fair Wages

An Accra Fast Track High Court has quashed the directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC) to the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), to restore the Conversion Difference of members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA). The court, in its ruling, stated that the NLC and GMA, which were respondent and the interested party respectively, failed to file any processes in opposition to the application within the time limited by the law. A statement issued by the Public Affairs of the FWSC and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday said the Court in its decision noted that once the two bodies failed to meet the deadline, it meant they had admitted the averments contained in FWSC�s affidavit which was attached to the application. The court consequently quashed the directive of the NLC. On May7, 2013 the NLC issued a directive to FWSC to restore the Conversion Difference of members of GMA who work in public health facilities. The FWSC, dissatisfied with the directive, on June 6 of the same year, filed an application at the Fast Track High Court seeking a Judicial Review to quash the directive. GNA The NLC and GMA, for over 10 months, never filed any processes or responses in opposition to the application, although they were duly served with the court processes; and had the option to oppose the application within seven days after service of the notice of application on them. The impasse between the FWSC and the GMA came up for deliberation at the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee (PSJSNC), during which the meeting concluded that the matter must be allowed to exhaust the court processes for a lasting settlement. The NLC lost a similar case in the high court against FWSC a few months ago, in their quest to compel FWSC to implement a ruling that they (NLC) had made in favor of another union, GHOSPA (Government Hospitals and Pharmacists Association).