Sunyani (B/A), Sept. 5, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) on Tuesday threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action to back their demand for a salary review for teachers and other unresolved issues, if the National Secretariat failed to declare a nation-wide strike action by Friday, September eight, this year.
"The Regional Council, under increasing pressure from disgruntled members, may be compelled to declare a strike action by Monday, September 11, to back our demand for salary review for teachers and other unresolved grievances since 2001", the branch said in a statement released to the Ghana News Agency.
Mr. Raphael K. Owusu, Regional Chairman and other executives signed the statement after an emergency meeting convened by the Regional Council in Sunyani to deliberate on events following the suspension of the association's last industrial action in June last year and a recent news conference by the national executive in Accra.
The Regional Council said it was "losing faith in the national leadership due to its feet-dragging attitude and inability to negotiate positively with the Ghana Education Service, the sector Ministry and other stakeholders, on the unresolved grievances".
The association also noted "attempts by the sector Ministry and the acting Director General of the GES to marginalize NAGRAT as an association".
The regional branch condemned the perception in some labour circles that the association is male-dominated and gender insensitive, but conceded that the percentage of females in executive positions at the various levels of the association was woefully insignificant. "There is a sizeable number of outspoken, talented and intelligent female graduate teacher members in the association", it said. The association suggested that at least two executive positions be reserved for female members and advised that all vacant executive positions at the zonal and school/office unit levels should be immediately filled by females who amply demonstrated their ability to serve the course of NAGRAT.
Sunyani (B/A), Sept. 5, GNA - The Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) on Tuesday threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action to back their demand for a salary review for teachers and other unresolved issues, if the National Secretariat failed to declare a nation-wide strike action by Friday, September eight, this year.
"The Regional Council, under increasing pressure from disgruntled members, may be compelled to declare a strike action by Monday, September 11, to back our demand for salary review for teachers and other unresolved grievances since 2001", the branch said in a statement released to the Ghana News Agency.
Mr. Raphael K. Owusu, Regional Chairman and other executives signed the statement after an emergency meeting convened by the Regional Council in Sunyani to deliberate on events following the suspension of the association's last industrial action in June last year and a recent news conference by the national executive in Accra.
The Regional Council said it was "losing faith in the national leadership due to its feet-dragging attitude and inability to negotiate positively with the Ghana Education Service, the sector Ministry and other stakeholders, on the unresolved grievances".
The association also noted "attempts by the sector Ministry and the acting Director General of the GES to marginalize NAGRAT as an association".
The regional branch condemned the perception in some labour circles that the association is male-dominated and gender insensitive, but conceded that the percentage of females in executive positions at the various levels of the association was woefully insignificant. "There is a sizeable number of outspoken, talented and intelligent female graduate teacher members in the association", it said. The association suggested that at least two executive positions be reserved for female members and advised that all vacant executive positions at the zonal and school/office unit levels should be immediately filled by females who amply demonstrated their ability to serve the course of NAGRAT.
