Polytechnic teachers threaten strike action

Cape Coast, June 13, GNA- The Polytechnic Teachers Association Of Ghana (POTAG), cautioned that it would advice itself if by June 26 this year, the Standing Joint Negotiating Committee (SJNC) fails to convene to resolve all outstanding salary issues concerning the association. The POTAG said since 2003 it has always been compelled by its employers to embark on frequent industrial actions before its grievances were attended to.
These were contained in a press statement read by Mr. Kojo Otoo, national president of the POTAG, at an emergency congress on Tuesday in Cape Coast.
He said during the last negotiations, the SJNC decided that in order to end the perennial industrial strikes on the polytechnic campuses, it was imperative to draw a roadmap on salaries pending the final report of the Fair Wages Commission that would be implemented next year.
Mr. Otoo said a communiqu=E9 was issued in August last year calling for a stakeholders' meeting in the same month to discuss the draft plan for consideration in the 2007 budget.
He said subsequently the association accepted a 20 per cent salary increase last year.
Mr. Otoo explained that the POTAG accepted the offer because it hoped that this year the roadmap would address the salary disparities between the members and their counterparts in other analogous tertiary institutions.
He expressed worry that even though the plan should have been implemented with effect from January this year, nothing has been done about the proposal.
Mr. Otoo said the POTAG through correspondence and at meetings reminded the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment as well as the National Labour Commission about the roadmap.
He stressed that despite these initiatives, none of the bodies have made any attempt to address the concerns of the association. Mr. Otoo said members of the POTAG were living on wages and salaries that their counterparts were earning in 2005. He said the situation has resulted in more than 56 members of the PORAG joining other institutions that paid better salaries, within the last three years.
He therefore, appealed to the media to help champion the cause of the association.

Cape Coast, June 13, GNA- The Polytechnic Teachers Association Of Ghana (POTAG), cautioned that it would advice itself if by June 26 this year, the Standing Joint Negotiating Committee (SJNC) fails to convene to resolve all outstanding salary issues concerning the association. The POTAG said since 2003 it has always been compelled by its employers to embark on frequent industrial actions before its grievances were attended to.
These were contained in a press statement read by Mr. Kojo Otoo, national president of the POTAG, at an emergency congress on Tuesday in Cape Coast.
He said during the last negotiations, the SJNC decided that in order to end the perennial industrial strikes on the polytechnic campuses, it was imperative to draw a roadmap on salaries pending the final report of the Fair Wages Commission that would be implemented next year.
Mr. Otoo said a communiqu=E9 was issued in August last year calling for a stakeholders' meeting in the same month to discuss the draft plan for consideration in the 2007 budget.
He said subsequently the association accepted a 20 per cent salary increase last year.
Mr. Otoo explained that the POTAG accepted the offer because it hoped that this year the roadmap would address the salary disparities between the members and their counterparts in other analogous tertiary institutions.
He expressed worry that even though the plan should have been implemented with effect from January this year, nothing has been done about the proposal.
Mr. Otoo said the POTAG through correspondence and at meetings reminded the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment as well as the National Labour Commission about the roadmap.
He stressed that despite these initiatives, none of the bodies have made any attempt to address the concerns of the association. Mr. Otoo said members of the POTAG were living on wages and salaries that their counterparts were earning in 2005. He said the situation has resulted in more than 56 members of the PORAG joining other institutions that paid better salaries, within the last three years.
He therefore, appealed to the media to help champion the cause of the association.