Implement recommendation, Or ... - TEWU

Accra, April 19, GNA - The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has threatened to advice itself if by Tuesday, May 31, the Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) does not meet the unions' demands on condition of service. This was contained in resolution adopted at the end of the two-day National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of TEWU in Accra.

The demands are the implementation of recommendations to correct distortions and disparities in some salary levels of the Non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the speed-up of the "snail pace of negotiations on the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement".

It said GES management should effect payment of salary arrears to the affected employees from September 2004 to date. TEWU said it was disappointed at the failure of the Management of the GES to implement the Apellate Body's recommendations on the corrections of the distortions and disparities, despite the directive from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.

A Ministry of Finance letter dated November 226, 2004, said it has decided that the arrears should be paid in 2005 over the first four months and explained that given the time the report was received no provision would have been made in the 2004 budget.

The resolution signed jointly by Alhaji H. I. Kambasi and Mr Dan Ayim Antwi, National Chairman and General Secretary of TEWU respectively, said the union is also frustrated by the GES Management's feet-dragging attitude about negotiation on the review of the union's collective bargaining agreement.

In another resolution, TEWU said if by the close of work on Friday 13th May government has not given mandate to the Committee of Polytechnic Principals (COOP) to enable it to negotiate with the Union on its proposals submitted in July 2004 to review the expired conditions of service for the unionised staff of Polytechnics, "we shall deem it fit to use any means to seek redress."

It recalled that the national leaders appealed to the rank and file of the polytechnics in December 2004 to suspend their industrial action to give more time to COOP to seek mandate from government and that proved futile.

The Union said it is with "grave concern and regret the continued denial of mandate to the Committee of Polytechnic Principals (COOP) to enable them to review the expired conditions of service for the unionised staff of the Polytechnics in Ghana.'