TEWU calls on GES to stop deduction of SIC premium

The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), on Thursday, called on the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to stop the illegal deduction of the SIC insurance premium from members’ salary to ensure industrial peace.

The Union also called on the GES to urgently refund all deductions made from members, adding that TEWU will no longer tolerate the imposition of the insurance policy on its members.

Mark Dankyira Korankye, the Acting General Secretary, TEWU, speaking at a press briefing in Accra, expressed concern about the entrenched position taken by the management of GES to continue to deduct monies from the salaries of members in the name of an insurance policy.

Mr Korankye said members of the Union at its regional conference from June to July 2019, unanimously condemned the deductions because the consent of members was not sought in the first place to subscribe to the policy.

“Our position is that it is an insurance package, so individuals who think that it is good for them, should have been given the opportunity to pick a form and fill it to subscribe to it but not impose it on members.

He said other issues raised during the regional conferences were the delay in paying critical support premium to all categories of workers under TEWU, increasing work load under the SHS double track, backlog of promotions, need to fast track recruitment of more non-teaching staff, among others.

On the issue of critical support premium, the Union called on government and the management of GES to take steps to ensure that every member of the GES enjoyed the premium just as it had been done for Civil Servants.

On promotion issue, Mr Korankye said there had been a huge backlog of outstanding promotions among members, urging the authorities to fast track the process to get all those who are due for promotion to be promoted.

He explained that, the delay in promotion was really demoralising members to give in their best, adding that for more than two years members who have received their promotion letters were yet to be placed appropriately on their new grade.

The TEWU leadership has urged GES to expedite action on the recruitment process to augment the numbers of the non-teaching staff, instead of relying on temporary staff, who were paid by the Parent Teachers’ Association.

“It is the expectation of the TEWU national leadership and entire membership that these concerns raised will be addressed promptly, to avoid any action that can derail the academic calendar”, he added.