We're not happy with industrial action but it's our last resort – UTAG

The four worker unions in the public universities of Ghana who have embarked on a sit-down strike have said the Heads of Academic Units can visit their offices once a week during the ongoing strike. “Heads of Academic Units can visit their offices to perform minor administrative duties once a week, preferably on Mondays, with the aid of a skeletal staff,” the unions said on Tuesday, 1 November 2022, in a statement. However, “no meetings, whether virtual or physical, should be convened during the period of the strike action,” it cautioned its members. It disclosed that services, including: “Skeletal Staff at the Finance Directorates to Process Salaries; Security; Basic School; Health Services; and Maintenance Services (at least once a week cleaning, emptying of trash and garbage cans and weeding),” will continue to run during the strike. “We are not happy with our industrial action, but it is our last resort in the face of the brute show of Government arbitrariness and insensitivity in handling our plight during these hard times,” the unions indicated. The strike action by the four worker unions to demand better conditions of service entered its third week, Monday, 31 October 2022. Last week, the unions served notice that the strike will still continue. The unions disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, 25 October 2022, co-signed by the National President of UTAG, Prof Solomon Nunoo; GAUA National President, Dr Beth Ofei-Awuku; National Chairman of SSA-UoG Mr Isaac Donkor and National Chairman TEWU-Gh Mr Sulemana Abdul-Rahman. According to the statement, the National Leaders of UTAG, GAUA, SSA-UoG, TEWU-GH, and FUSSAG “attended a meeting with the Employer on Wednesday, 19 October 2022, following an invitation by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC). “Unfortunately, the outcome of the meeting was not favourable as the Employer was adamant to restore the Vehicle Maintenance and Off Campus Allowances to the adjusted ex-pump rate of GHS10.99.” It revealed that: “Later that afternoon, the National Leaders attended a hearing at the National Labour Commission (NLC) where the Commission further entreated the parties to continue engaging as per the directive captured in its letter dated 20 October 2022. “However, considering the facts and evidence before it, the national leaders are of the considered opinion that the Commission should have had no difficulty in making a definite order against the Employer to pay amounts on figures agreed and established by convention.” It added: “Thus, the National Executive Committees/Councils of the Labour Unions, at their individual meetings, resolved to continue with the ongoing strike action until further notice.”

The four worker unions in the public universities of Ghana who have embarked on a sit-down strike have said the Heads of Academic Units can visit their offices once a week during the ongoing strike. “Heads of Academic Units can visit their offices to perform minor administrative duties once a week, preferably on Mondays, with the aid of a skeletal staff,” the unions said on Tuesday, 1 November 2022, in a statement. However, “no meetings, whether virtual or physical, should be convened during the period of the strike action,” it cautioned its members. It disclosed that services, including: “Skeletal Staff at the Finance Directorates to Process Salaries; Security; Basic School; Health Services; and Maintenance Services (at least once a week cleaning, emptying of trash and garbage cans and weeding),” will continue to run during the strike. “We are not happy with our industrial action, but it is our last resort in the face of the brute show of Government arbitrariness and insensitivity in handling our plight during these hard times,” the unions indicated. The strike action by the four worker unions to demand better conditions of service entered its third week, Monday, 31 October 2022. Last week, the unions served notice that the strike will still continue. The unions disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, 25 October 2022, co-signed by the National President of UTAG, Prof Solomon Nunoo; GAUA National President, Dr Beth Ofei-Awuku; National Chairman of SSA-UoG Mr Isaac Donkor and National Chairman TEWU-Gh Mr Sulemana Abdul-Rahman. According to the statement, the National Leaders of UTAG, GAUA, SSA-UoG, TEWU-GH, and FUSSAG “attended a meeting with the Employer on Wednesday, 19 October 2022, following an invitation by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC). “Unfortunately, the outcome of the meeting was not favourable as the Employer was adamant to restore the Vehicle Maintenance and Off Campus Allowances to the adjusted ex-pump rate of GHS10.99.” It revealed that: “Later that afternoon, the National Leaders attended a hearing at the National Labour Commission (NLC) where the Commission further entreated the parties to continue engaging as per the directive captured in its letter dated 20 October 2022. “However, considering the facts and evidence before it, the national leaders are of the considered opinion that the Commission should have had no difficulty in making a definite order against the Employer to pay amounts on figures agreed and established by convention.” It added: “Thus, the National Executive Committees/Councils of the Labour Unions, at their individual meetings, resolved to continue with the ongoing strike action until further notice.”