The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has denied media reports suggesting that its Chief Executive, Dr George Smith-Graham, said teachers participating in the ongoing strike would have their salaries deducted for every day they remain away from work.The Commission said Dr Smith-Graham did not make the comments attributed to him and urged the public and the media to disregard the reports and any conclusions drawn from them.In a statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs of the FWSC, Emelia Ennin, the Commission said the purported comments do not represent the position of either the Chief Executive or the Commission on the ongoing industrial action by the three pre-tertiary teacher unions.“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 statement said.“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 said its current engagement with the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) is focused on dialogue and negotiations to address outstanding issues relating to their collective agreement and conditions of service.The FWSC said it engaged the leadership of the three unions on Tuesday, October 6, as part of efforts to resolve the issues underlying the industrial action.The meeting was chaired by Dr Smith-Graham and attended by GNAT General Secretary Thomas Musah, NAGRAT President Jacob Anaba, PRETAG President King Awudu Ali and other leaders of the unions.According to the Commission, the meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to discuss the outstanding issues and demands raised by the 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 union leaders for the peaceful manner in which the meeting was conducted.The engagement forms part of the formal process initiated by government to address the concerns of the three teacher unions following the commencement of their nationwide strike on Monday, September 28.The FWSC’s involvement followed an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, with the leadership of the three unions on September 28, after the strike began.The Minister subsequently indicated that the FWSC would spearhead the next phase of formal negotiations on behalf of the government.The Commission said it remains committed to constructive engagement with the teacher unions and other relevant stakeholders towards finding a mutually acceptable and sustainable resolution to the outstanding issues.“The Commission acknowledges the importance of the concerns raised by the unions and believes that continued dialogue and good-faith negotiations remain critical to resolving the issues,” it said.The FWSC has therefore urged the public, the media and other stakeholders to rely on verified information from the Commission and other appropriate authorities for updates on the negotiations.It reiterated its commitment to promoting fair, transparent and sustainable compensation arrangements while fostering harmonious industrial relations in Ghana’s public service.