UTAG suspends intended strike

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has suspended its intended strike until further notice.

President of UTAG, Dr. Samuel Ofori Bekoe, in an interview with XYZ News, stated that they have decided to put on hold their intentions to strike due to a meeting scheduled with the National Labour Commission (NLC) for Wednesday, April 16.

“The next line of action is to meet the National Labour Commission tomorrow, after the meeting, we would know whether to go on with our decision to withdraw our services or to rescind our decision,” he said.

UTAG threatened to embark on strike by Tuesday if the National Council for Tertiary Education fails to initiate processes to pay their book and research allowances for the 2013/2014 academic year.

The Ministry of Education, however, expressed shock at the University Teachers Association of Ghana’s threat to embark on an industrial strike.

Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Paul Krampah said it was unfair for UTAG members to make that threat and issue that ultimatum because the Ministry is doing its possible best to ensure lecturers are able to undertake research through other means.