The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has launched a scathing criticism against the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE), accusing them of deliberately distorting the facts surrounding the ongoing strike action by CETAG members.
In a scathing statement issued by CETAG, the association expressed strong dissatisfaction with recent comments made by the NLC’s Executive Secretary, claiming that his remarks were intentionally designed to cast CETAG members in a negative light.
The association argued that these statements have not only misrepresented their stance but have also created a false narrative about the reasons behind their strike action.
“First of all, the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission has been making wild allegations in the media of late to create an impression that CETAG members were unreasonable and that the Union was making the work of the Commission difficult”
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG)
The association strongly contended that the Executive Secretary’s comments were strategically crafted to shift public perception against CETAG, portraying its members as unreasonable and obstructive in their dealings with the NLC.
CETAG emphasized that these remarks have contributed to a widespread misunderstanding of the issues at stake, thereby painting the association unfairly and inaccurately.
CETAG further explained that the ongoing industrial action stems from the National Labour Commission’s failure to enforce a compulsory arbitration award that was granted to the association on May 2, 2023.
This award, CETAG argued, has been ignored for over eight months, culminating in the current strike.
Legal Dispute Amidst Strike
Furthermore, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana rebuffed claims made by the Executive Secretary that the association had refused to call off its strike in defiance of a court order, stating that no such order had been issued.
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana denounced the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission’s statement, asserting that the statement was not borne out of the fact.
“Unfortunately, that statement by the Executive Secretary is completely false because since CETAG declared our indefinite strike on June 14, 2024, no court has ordered the Union,” the statement asserted.
CETAG also highlighted the legal proceedings surrounding the strike, noting that the High Court in Accra had adjourned “sine die” the NLC’s interlocutory injunction filed against CETAG.
The association pointed out that the Commission’s application for enforcement of its compulsory arbitration award has faced significant delays, with the last court hearing scheduled for June 26, 2024, yet to yield any resolution.
The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana has been on strike, since June this year in response to long-standing grievances related to working conditions, remuneration, and other critical issues affecting teacher educators in Ghana.
The leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana has consistently argued that their concerns have been ignored, leading to a prolonged standoff with the Ministry of Education.
The association’s strong stance indicates that it will not be easily swayed by what it views as attempts to undermine its position.
In an earlier statement, the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) announced a complete withdrawal of all services with immediate effect.
According to the labour union, the reason for the decision was in reaction to a directive from the Minister for Education instructing the Principals of the 46 public colleges of education and the Controller and Accountant General not to validate the July 2024 salaries of the teaching staff.
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