JUSAG keeps strike in force as dispute over revised conditions of service continues
Judicial Service staff across Ghana have been directed to remain at home as the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) maintains its indefinite strike, with the union insisting that the government must fully address its concerns over their revised conditions of service before work can resume.
The latest position follows unsuccessful engagements between the unions, government representatives and Judicial Service management. JUSAG and the Senior Staff Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana (SSAJUG) said on Sunday, November 8, that they had not received an official response to their revised demands submitted three days earlier.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, November 9, JUSAG General Secretary Abdulai Yakubu said the disagreement centres on the extent to which the government’s approval reflects recommendations submitted by the Judicial Council under Constitutional Instrument 141 (CI 141).
He argued that the President could not approve only selected provisions of the proposed conditions of service while leaving out other entitlements provided for under the legal framework.
The association is therefore asking the government to revise its approval to reflect the Judicial Council’s recommendations. Mr Yakubu said the union had been given an indication that an official communication and a meeting could take place on Monday evening, expressing hope that the engagement would produce an agreement that would allow the strike to end.
The industrial action began on November 2 after JUSAG said the government had failed to approve its members’ 2026 salary review and settle outstanding payments. The union had initially demanded payment of revised salaries in November, alongside arrears covering January to October.
The Ministry of Finance had directed that the salary arrears be paid in two instalments, with the first five months expected in November and the remaining balance in December. However, JUSAG maintained that the payment arrangement did not resolve its central concern over the approval of the revised conditions of service.
The dispute has disrupted court operations, with several court facilities affected by the withdrawal of services. The unions have also directed members serving at the Supreme Court to stay away while the strike remains in force.
The outcome of the anticipated government engagement could determine whether the industrial action is brought to an end. Until an agreement is reached and communicated to members, JUSAG says its members will not return to work.
Source: CNR
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