The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) is planning to implement a minimum wage for its members. This decision was made during the MUSIGA National Capacity Building Workshop, held at Erata Hotel in Accra from September 5 to 8.
At the workshop, participants covered a range of topics, including Collective Bargaining Agreements, MUSIGA Gender Policy, Enhancing Financial Management within MUSIGA, and Contractual Agreements.
Thomas Dayan, the deputy general secretary of FIM, who led the session on Collective Bargaining Agreements (C.B.A), explained that this tool is essential for ensuring a minimum wage for musicians.
He pointed out that Senegal has already established a minimum wage for its musicians through the Senegal Association des Métiers de la Musique (AMS), setting a precedent in West Africa.
Dayan emphasized that MUSIGA, as a member of the Union of Informal Workers Associations (UNIWA) of T.U.C, is well-positioned to adopt similar measures. To move forward, MUSIGA plans to engage with musicians’ employers, event organizers, and venue owners to discuss the implementation details.
Additionally, Jonas Franzen, head of International Relations at the Swedish Musicians Federation (SMF), addressed communication and financial management issues and shared insights from the SMF’s experiences.
The President of MUSIGA, Bessa Simons, noted that, “The workshop is a welcome activity which has provided our members with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide leadership for the Union in their regions and I believe MUSIGA will be better off for this.”
In his closing remarks, Alhaji Sidiku Buari, former MUSIGA President and a former Vice President of FIM who chaired the workshop tasked the participants to return to their regions and impart the knowledge they had acquired to their members in the region.
He also thanked FIM for their support for MUSIGA since the year 2000.
Former MUSIGA President, Bice Osei Kuffour aka Obour called on the participants to ensure that they use the knowledge they acquire at the workshop in developing the Union in the regions.
The new Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Robert Patrick Ankobiah, assured the Union of the Ministry’s support in all its endeavours.
The workshop is part of a Union-t- Union project organized by FIM under the theme, “Developing Musicians Unions in Africa.” Other countries involved in the project are Kenya and Senegal.