UCC senior staff call off strike, engage management

The senior staff Association of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) who embarked on strike action over poor conditions of service and delay in payment of allowances called off its strike on Friday after a week-long standoff.

The move is in compliance with the directive by the National Labour Commission (NLC) after a meeting on Wednesday to allow for further negotiations with management to resolve the issues.

The management of UCC has subsequently called a meeting with the leadership of the senior staff to find lasting solutions to their concerns and grievances.

Christopher Aggrey, Secretary of the UCC chapter of the Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG, UCC), who confirmed the development in a media interview said they were expecting a favourable outcome.

“…and if it does not turn out that way, we will see the necessary action to take,” he added.

The senior staff laid down their tools on Thursday, April 13 in protest in what they said was “unfair treatment” by management of the institution.

They said management had refused to honour their request to address a number of grievances including appointments, promotions, non-payment of negotiated allowances and representation on the University Council since May 2022.

They accused management of disregarding numerous reminders on their concerns without any justification.

Sandy Kumi-Sinatra, Chairman of the Association on campus, noted that the University did very little to address their issues even after an intervention by the NLC and the Ministry of Education.

“Regrettably, the only engagement management of the University has had was to request the SSA-UoG, UCC Local to submit proposals for some of the issues contained in a petition to management and the Council,” he said.

In view of that, he vowed that the strike would not be called off until their demands were met but later had to comply with the NLC’s directive after consulting the Association’s national leadership.

The meeting between management and the senior staff was still in session as of the time of filing this report.