Alphonso Manley Calls for Salary Harmonisation Across Sierra Leone’s Public Sector
Civil society activist Alphonso Manley has called for salary harmonisation for public-sector workers in Sierra Leone, saying employees on comparable grades should receive more consistent remuneration across public institutions.
Manley said the concerns raised by teachers are not limited to demands for a general salary increase, but also include the need for greater consistency in salary structures across the public sector.
“What the teachers are asking for is salary harmonization,” Manley said.
He explained that workers on equivalent grades, including Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3, should have more consistent salary levels when working in comparable public institutions.
According to Manley, previous negotiations have not fully addressed salary disparities affecting education workers. He said differences in salary structures can result in employees with comparable responsibilities receiving different levels of compensation.
Manley also pointed to the situation within tertiary education, where academic staff at public universities and other tertiary institutions have been engaged in discussions with the government over salaries and conditions of service.
He said the issue of salary harmonisation also involves institutions that previously operated under different salary structures, making the transition to a harmonised system an important part of ongoing discussions.
Manley urged stakeholders involved in public-sector salary negotiations to focus on addressing disparities and establishing greater consistency in remuneration for workers on comparable grades.
He maintained that salary harmonisation should form part of efforts to ensure that public-sector workers performing similar roles and holding equivalent grades are treated consistently in terms of pay.