UTAG set to proceed with Nationwide Strike
University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) logo
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) remains determined to carry out its planned nationwide strike in response to what it perceives as the government’s failure to engage in meaningful negotiations regarding their conditions of service.
Dr. Eliasu Mumuni, the General Secretary of UTAG, emphasized that discussions on base pay, particularly in relation to market premiums, are of paramount importance and must be addressed to reconsider their decision to strike.
During a press conference in Accra, Dr. Mumuni stated that UTAG members would convene to announce the date for their strike. He emphasized the need for collective permission from the membership to proceed, and the association is actively working towards that goal while keeping the National Labour Commission (NLC) informed about their progress in negotiating their conditions of service.
“If they are not able to reach us within this period, and we have completed the formalities of engaging all the membership across the 15 campuses and have informed the Labour Commission, then we are prepared to take action,” Dr. Mumuni affirmed.
In a related development, both UTAG and the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) recently walked out of a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC). The associations expressed their dissatisfaction with the commission’s perceived lack of commitment, contemptuous behavior, and failure to address crucial aspects of their conditions of service.
The university lecturers denounced the disrespect shown towards their quest for improved conditions of service and declared their unwillingness to participate in meetings that yield no tangible benefits. They sternly warned that the voices of the lecturers would soon be heard in a language better understood by the employer or the government.
As the impasse between UTAG, TUTAG, and the government continues, stakeholders in the education sector anxiously await further developments. The potential strike action by UTAG raises concerns about the impact on academic activities across the country’s universities and the broader implications for the education system.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
