FWSC Debunks Claims That Teachers' Salaries Will Be Deducted If Strike Is Not Ended By Friday

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has debunked media reports suggesting that teachers' salaries will be deducted if they fail to end their ongoing strike by Friday.

In a press release issued Wednesday, the Commission said it has taken note of a media report purportedly attributing comments to its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, regarding the payment of salaries to workers who engage in an illegal strike.

"The report, which suggests that Dr Smith-Graham has stated that workers who engage in an illegal strike would have their salaries deducted for every day they remain away from work has generated public interest and may create an impression about the position of the FWSC on the ongoing industrial action by the three pre-tertiary teacher unions," the statement said.

"The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission wishes to state that our Chief Executive did not make the comments attributed to him in the said media report."

"The FWSC therefore respectfully appeals to the public and the media to disregard the purported comments and any conclusions drawn from them, as they do not represent a statement made by the Chief Executive or a position taken by the Commission in relation to the ongoing teachers' strike."

The Commission stressed that its current engagement with the three pre-tertiary teacher unions is focused on dialogue and negotiations aimed at addressing outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service.

*FWSC Engages Teacher Unions*

As part of efforts to resolve the outstanding issues, the FWSC on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, engaged the leadership of the three pre-tertiary teacher unions in negotiations.

The meeting, chaired by Dr George Smith-Graham, was attended by the General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah; the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Jacob Anaba; the President of the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), King Awudu Ali, and other leaders of the three unions.

Speaking after the meeting, Dr Smith-Graham said the engagement would be reconvened at a later date to allow the Commission to undertake further consultations on the demands presented by the unions and engage relevant stakeholders before negotiations resume.

He also commended the leadership of the unions for the peaceful manner in which the meeting was conducted.