Poly Union on strike

Accra, May 24, GNA -Members of the Polytechnic Local Unions belonging to the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday began a sit-down strike throughout the country.

Mr Dan Ayim, Antwi, General Secretary of TEWU who announced this to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the decision for the action was on the strength of a resolution adopted by the Central Executive Committee of the unions.

The resolution said; "If by the close of work on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, government has not mandated it to be possible for the negotiation to resume, we shall deem it fit to advise ourselves".

Mr Antwi said, they were unhappy about their unified conditions of service, which expired on January 2004 and government's unwillingness to renew mandate to Conference of Polytechnic Principals (COPP) to conclude negotiations with TEWU on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). When the GNA visited the Accra Polytechnic, the union branch had written to the Principal informing him of the strike but he was not available for comment.

The letter requested "all members .. to suspend all activities concerning their work until further notice".

It said the action had become necessary "because of government insensitivity to Polytechnic TEWU with regards to negotiations on salaries and conditions of service".

Mr Johnson Kyeremeh, Vice Chairman of the local union, said, "we have tried severally to get this issue resolved amicably but had not succeeded, rather government preferred to treat our counterparts in the Universities with all fairness".