National Council of CETAG invalidates Memorandum of Agreement signed with government

The National Council of Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has invalidated the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed with government.

The National Council of CETAG, in an official release dated August 6, 2024, signed by its leadership, invalidates the MoA and states the reasons behind its action. The Council also suggests steps for the government to use in addressing their proposals to pave the way for a smooth and immediate implementation of the outstanding Compulsory Arbitration Award by NLC.

The release from CETAG on the matter

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CETAG INVALIDATES MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MoA) SIGNED WITH GOVERNMENT

At an emergency virtual National Council meeting held on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, Council critically considered the content and the legal effect of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between the representatives of the Government and a section of leadership of the Union on Wednesday, 24th July 2024. We wish to respectfully use this medium to communicate to you the unanimous position of National Council regarding the signed MoA as follows:

1. That the meeting that led to the signing of MOA was not attended or witnessed by the National Labour Commission (NLC) which is the legally mandated institution to enforce the Compulsory Arbitration Award issued on 2nd May 2023 for CETAG.

2. That the NLC is currently in court seeking an interlocutory injunction against CETAG’s ongoing legal strike. The NLC’s court action against the Union, therefore, renders the signed MoA mute until the court has made its determination on the matter.

3. That NLC has taken Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to court since 20th June 2024 seeking enforcement of its Compulsory Arbitration Award for CETAG which the court is yet to hear the case due to FWSC’s failure to show up at the court on two different occasions.

4. That the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), which directed the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) and Principals of the Colleges of Education not to validate the July 2024 salaries of CETAG members, did not partake in the signing of the MoA.

5. That the delay in releasing the completed, signed copy of the MoA to the Union by the Government team before Friday, 26th July 2024, as agreed upon at the meeting on Wednesday, 24th July 2024, for our National Council to validate it before July salaries were paid on 29th July 2024 amounts to BAD FAITH.

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6. That National Council finds that singular action of the Employer to freeze our July 2024 salaries prior to delivering the signed MOA to leadership for validation and approval by our National Council as BAD FAITH exhibited to demonstrate the Employer’s show of power through salary seizures whenever CETAG embarks on any legal strike.

7. That the terms contained in the MoA did not constitute evidence of implementation of the outstanding Compulsory Arbitration Award and related concerns such as the unilateral variation of office holding allowances by GTEC which violates the Conditions of Service agreement signed with the Government on 22nd May 2023. That the unilateral variation of the office holding allowances by GTEC has made members of CETAG worst off and must be reversed.

8. That the MoA failed to provide a clear roadmap and timelines for the payment of arrears (salary and top-up for Book and Research Allowance for 2023 and 2024), which shall arise out of the migration of our members unto the public universities’ salary structure.

9. That National Council does not approve of the signed MoA since it was executed in BAD FAITH by the Government team just like the many other communiqués and letters issued in the past by the same Government officials that were never honoured leading to this present strike action.

On the basis of the foregoing, the National Council respectfully wishes to make the following suggestions for consideration:

a) That the Employer, through GTEC, should write to CAGD to de-freeze our July 2024 salaries immediately.

b) That NLC should be made to discontinue any court action against the Union and agree to meet the parties to witness the signing of any future MoA that shall take into consideration all the concerns of the Union.

c) That we request for the payment of the arrears which shall accrue from the migration to be paid between September 2024 and November 2024 after the migration exercise is completed in August ending.

d) That we ask for concrete evidence of the migration and payment of all the outstanding allowances owed members before a decision could be taken to call off our ongoing legal strike action.

We hope and pray that you shall respectfully take the necessary steps to address National Council’s proposals contained in this communication to pave way for a smooth and immediate implementation of the outstanding Compulsory Arbitration Award by NLC.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh