JUSAG declares indefinite strike over salary review

The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) has declared an indefinite strike from Monday, November 2, 2026, over the government’s failure to approve the proposed review of salaries and related allowances for Judicial Service staff.

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The association says the industrial action will continue until its demands are met, directing all Judicial Service staff to stay away from work from Monday.

Addressing staff and the media on Friday, October 30, JUSAG General Secretary, Abdulai Yakubu, said the government had failed to meet the deadline set by the association for approval of the revised conditions of service.

He maintained that the government’s handling of the matter demonstrated a lack of commitment to addressing the concerns of Judicial Service workers.

“By the development, therefore, and by the resolution of the Council of JUSAG, we hereby declare an indefinite strike starting from Monday, the 2nd of November, 2026,” he announced.

Mr Yakubu also advised members of the public with cases scheduled for Monday not to report to court, as staff would not be available to attend to them.

He said the association had made several attempts since December 2025 to secure approval for the 2026 salary review, but those efforts had yielded no results.

“You may recall that on the 23rd of October 2026, the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana notified the National Labour Commission of our intention to embark on an indefinite strike owing to the failure of the government to approve our conditions of service as recommended by the Judicial Council,” he said.

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Mr Yakubu explained that under Article 149 and Regulation 25 of the Judicial Service Terms and Conditions of Service Regulations, 2025 (C.I. 141), the President determines the salaries and conditions of service of Judicial Service staff based on advice from the Judicial Council, with salaries reviewed annually.

He said JUSAG submitted its proposal to the Judicial Council in December 2025, after which the Council completed its work and forwarded its recommendations to the President for approval.

However, he said delays in securing presidential approval compelled the association to send several reminders to the relevant authorities, warning that continued delays could threaten industrial harmony within the Judicial Service.

Mr Yakubu said appeals had also been made during the association’s Second Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Tamale, where the Chief of Staff assured members that the matter would be taken up with the Office of the President for expedited approval.

He added that subsequent appeals during engagements involving the Chief Justice and at the recently held AMJG Conference at Labadi had also failed to produce the desired outcome.

According to him, the growing frustration among members prompted JUSAG’s National Executive Council to hold an emergency meeting, at which it resolved to demand approval of the Judicial Council’s recommendations by October 30, 2026.

The association also demanded that the approved salaries be paid in November 2026, together with arrears covering January to October.

Mr Yakubu said the association formally notified the National Labour Commission on October 23 of its intention to embark on an indefinite strike if the demands were not met by the deadline.

The notification was also copied to the Minister responsible for Jobs, Labour Relations and Employment, the Finance Minister, the Attorney-General, the Executive Secretary to the Office of the President and the Judicial Secretary.

He criticised the Ministry of Labour for failing to act promptly on the National Labour Commission’s directive to convene a meeting with relevant stakeholders to expedite the approval process.