KNUST TEIN appeals to UTAG to call off strike

The KNUST branch of Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN), a pro NDC group, has called on UTAG to call off its strike to allow the academic calendar to continue smoothly especially when there is assurance from government to pay UTAG members their arrears.

The group in a statement signed by Baaba Hassan TaahirNamaa, Public Relations Officer, said “per the University regulations, if a strike action goes beyond twenty one working days, the Academic year would be restarted,” this they say will not be in the interest of the students and therefore the need to suspend to avert such a situation.

The group also urged government to fulfill its commitment to the university lecturers for teaching and learning to resume in all tertiary institutions.

Below is the full statement

TEIN-NDC, KNUST APPEALS TO UTAG TO CALL OFF STRIKE

On behalf of colleague students, TEIN-NDC, KNUST wishes to add its voice to the appeals made by Government, civil society groups, religious bodies, parents and all others for University lecturers to call off their strike.

The Union understands that Government has admitted it owes UTAG some arrears as a result of their migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure and that Government has paid members of UTAG their salaries in full with some allowances except the market premium for the year 2012, which was in dispute and a subject matter before the National Labour Commission.

The fact that Government has accepted it owes UTAG and is ready to pay their arrears in three installments is an indication that Government is committed to addressing the grievances of UTAG.

Students have been affected greatly by the strike action since April 1, 2013. May 10, 2013 is the official date for the closure of the 2012/2013 Academic calendar and any extension of the calendar because of the strike would have serious financial repercussions on students.

Also, per the University regulations, if a strike action goes beyond twenty one working days, the Academic year would be restarted.

TEIN-NDC, KNUST, therefore, wishes to appeal to UTAG, in the interest of students, to reconsider its decision and call off the strike while it continues negotiations with Government.

The Union acknowledges Government’s effort to resolve the matter but also urges Government to review its decision and pay UTAG members their arrears earlier and within shorter intervals than the proposed May, July and September.

Furthermore, it has come to the notice of the Union that a section of the leadership of NUGS is planning to embark on a demonstration to pressurise Government to address the grievances of UTAG but we believe that the demonstration will not solve this problem even though Students are worried about UTAG’s strike and are hoping for an amicable resolution of this impasse.

The leadership of NUGS should, therefore, not compound issues by allowing itself to be manipulated by any groups of individuals seeking to popularize themselves in the media for their own parochial interest. Such people should be reminded that their decisions do not reflect the concerns of a majority of the students in the various Universities across the country. The Union also believes that demonstrations have never solved any problem in this country and therefore calls on NUGS to suggest pacific means to resolve the strike problem.

Anyone behind these orchestrations should, therefore, consider the interest of a majority of students and desist from unleashing that unpopular decision because it has the propensity to worsen the woes of University students across the country.

Baaba Hassan TaahirNamaa,

PRO, TEIN-NDC, KNUST.

0249690951.