The Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) has declared an indefinite strike due to unmet conditions of service by government.
According to the association, a letter to the Ghana Tertiary Education Council and other government agencies on the matter is yet to be given attention. It reckoned the inaction of relevant agencies as an indication that the concerns expressed in its letter have not been treated with the seriousness they deserve.
Contained in a statement dated November 18, 2022, signed by the National President, Prof. Collins Ameyaw, TUTAG referred to its letter on the subject ‘New rate of fuel allowance for members of UTAG and TUTAG’, dated 26th September, 2022, addressed to the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and copied to the Minister of Education, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.
TUTAG iterated that the issues raised in the letter have since not received any attention from the aforementioned government agencies.
“In view of all these, and upon further deliberations by the National and Chapter Executives of TUTAG, we declare an indefinite strike action which takes immediate effect.”
TUTAG
Additionally, the association referred to the NLC’s directive on 2nd September, 2022, which was in relation to TUTAG’s demand for the implementation of the negotiated internally generated fund-related conditions of service.
Ministry of finance’s payment of allowances
Per the letter, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, was directed to ensure payment in January 2023. Furthermore, he was tasked to ensure that it issues the necessary letters to the various University Councils within a reasonable time to make budgetary provisions in the budget to take care of payments on the effective date.
TUTAG noted that even though January 2023 is less than two months away, and most universities are done with budget preparations for 2023, the Minister of Finance has still not issued the letter as directed by the NLC.
“It is important to state that a certain letter (electronic version), supposedly written by the FWSC, was shown to the President at NLC, the content of the said letter was in sharp contrast with the negotiations done with the Governing Councils of the various universities.”
TUTAG
The association noted that checks from the listed recipients indicate that the said defective letter had not even been received.
“Further, reference is made to issues raised in our letter under the subject ‘notification of industrial action’ with reference number TUTAG/NLC/02 dated 10th October, 2022, some of which have still not been resolved by the government agencies.”
TUTAG
TUTAG on November 7, 2022, threatened to embark on an industrial action if the government failed to honor the Codified Conditions of Service of members, which have been outstanding since 2016.
The leadership of TUTAG accused the government of blatantly disregarding a ruling of the National Labour Commission on the matter, and also blamed the NLC for failing to enforce the ruling. It indicated that members are facing some challenges with the payroll system and want the various Technical Universities to manage the payroll of the teachers.
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