CETAG demands immediate implementation of staff migration and all-year-round work compensation

According to a release signed by the National President and National Secretary of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) dated December 16, 2024, the Association is demanding immediate implementation of staff migration and All-Year-Round Work Compensation as part of the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Arbitral Awards with an deadline for action.

The full release from CETAG reads

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media. We deem it prudent to update the general public concerning the continuous deceptive treatments our employer has meted out to us in recent times with respect to the National Labour Commission’s (NL) compulsory arbitration awards issued on May 2, 2023.

We recall that in August 2023, CETAG embarked on an indefinite strike action over the employer’s failure to comply with the said awards which included among others:

“An ORDER for the payment of one-month salary based on the respondent’s (CETAG’s) proposed salary grade shall be paid to each of its entitled members as compensation for additional duty performed in the year 2022.”

“An ORDER that the agreed rates payable to Public Universities shall be applied to deserving members of the Respondent (CETAG).”

“An ORDER that the implementation of the completed staff audit exercise shall commence 1st January 2023.”

You would also recall that, from 14th June to 19th August 2024, members of CETAG embarked on one of the longest strikes ever concerning the same outstanding issues. However, we were impressed upon by the Vice President’s office, the Minister for Education, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, PRINCOF, and the general public to call off the strike so that all concerns shall be addressed promptly.

The employer further promised that all issues would be addressed and finally complete the migration of Colleges of Education Teachers onto their affiliate university payroll latest by October 30, 2024.

The association, exhibiting good faith, did call off the strike after signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the appropriate governmental agencies, including the MELR, MoE, MoF, and FWSC.

However, it’s been four (4) months since the strike was called off on August 20, 2024, and all what the employer has done is to continuously deceive our members with letters, verbal assurances, and supposed incessant correction of errors in the audited staff data for migration onto the University Pay Structure, whiles the Vice President’s office remain completely silent on the issue.

The All-Year-Round Compensation (AYRC), which, according to the MoA, was to be paid by August 31, 2024, is worth noting that, as of today, 16th December 2024, only 4 Colleges out of the 46 have been paid fully. We consider this promised and failed attitude of the employer to be a deliberate attempt to eventually deny us what is due us.

From the foregoing development, it is obvious that the employer is deliberately denying us our legitimate Compulsory Arbitration Awards for no justifiable reasons. We therefore wish to bring to the notice of the press and the general public that the Association (CETAG) will not continue to countenance the incessant violation of the economic rights of its members by the employer.

We are by this release, reminding the employer that if by December 20, 2024, we do not see the NLC’s Compulsory Arbitration Awards being fully implemented and the associated monies reflecting in our members’ accounts, we shall advise ourselves and no amount of talks or interventions from any quarters shall get us to rescind our decision.

For the avoidance of doubt, attached are the MoA and the NLC’s arbitral awards.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh