Public University Labour Unions To Embark On Strike On Thursday

Four University Labour Unions in public universities in Ghana have declared their intention to embark on industrial action next week Thursday, October 13.

The labour unions include the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), Tertiary Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-GH), and the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG).

The unions first made their intention to embark on a strike clear last week and appointed today, October 5, 2022, for it.

In a joint press release today, the unions said the industrial action has been pushed forward to make room for the government to rescind its decision over their conditions of service.

The unions are contending with the government against the latter’s decision to vary agreed conditions of service “in the face of hostile economic conditions”.

During a press conference last week, the unions said it “took notice of a letter from the Ministry of Finance on the revision of fuel allowance payable to eligible staff in public and technical universities dated August 5, 2022, and signed by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare,” he said.

Graphic Online reports that the union also sighted another letter from the Ministry dated March 16, 2022, on the subject “Allowances Payable on the Payroll of Public Universities”, signed again by Ms Osei-Asare and addressed to the Director General of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).

In response, UTAG said it wrote two letters seeking clarification on the basis for the unilateral variation in the conditions of service of university teachers and by extension all workers of public universities without the laid down procedures for negotiations.

These letters had not received any response as of the time they were having the press conference last week.

In their press statement today, they said that “Upon further deliberations among the National Leaders, we write to communicate that the intended strike of all labour unions in public universities in Ghana takes effect from Thursday, October 13, 2022.

“This gives the employer and all stakeholders of tertiary education in Ghana one crucial week to reverse the directive that seeks to negatively compromise the Conditions of Service of University Workers”.

Source: opemsuo.com/hajara Fuseini