President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) UCC-Chapter, Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi, has averred that the prolonged nature of the strike action by the Association is due to mistrust in the labor unions.
Speaking about the refusal to call off the strike, he averred that the mistrust built over the years has created a problem for everyone involved and has resulted in their current stance.
According to Dr. Boadi-Kusi, previous strike actions have seen no results due to promises not being fulfilled after the strike is called off by the Association and as such, UTAG doesn’t want a repetition.
“It has happened before where the strike was called off but we weren’t invited to resolve the issue and there was no solution in the end. This is what has resulted in the current mistrust.”
Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi
Commenting on the state of negotiation, Dr. Boadi-Kusi revealed that UTAG met with the National Labor Commission but were told to go back and resolve the issue as has previously been the case.
“But the promise by them (NLC) to UTAG to call off the strike and come for negotiation is what has resulted in the current snub by UTAG members.”
Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi
The core of UTAG’s issue, Dr. Kusi-Boadi reiterated, is that the lecturers need an upgrade in their allowance. He disclosed that the market premium has not been reviewed for the past nine years and the Association cannot ignore it from not being reviewed for the lecturers as this keeps reducing this reducing their salaries as a result of inflation.
As a result of their quest for increment, Dr. Boadi-Kusi revealed that at a point, UTAG was told that its demands will trigger other unions to start demanding for same.
“It is true that everyone wants an increment in their salaries but we cannot also say that for almost 9 years as a country, we cannot review an existing pay policy for the worker to also be relieved.”
Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi
The UCC-UTAG President intimated that the Association is set to meet with the Labor Unions involved in the quest to resolve the issue, so the strike can be called off.
“We are still looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting. We hope that with all the leaders attending, a consensus will be reached for us to resolve the issue once and for all.”
Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi
Dr. Boadi-Kusi stated that regardless of the happenings, with the current progress made with the strike action, he is hopeful the issue will be resolved soon.
“After the meeting, within some days let’s give it up till Wednesday, we will all have reached an amicable solution.”
Dr. Samuel Boadi-Kusi
Previously, UTAG turned down an invitation to meet with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the government in a bid to resolve its ongoing strike.
UTAG lawyers stated that they believed the more acceptable approach in the present circumstances was for UTAG to meet with the government side of the impasse to try and iron out their remaining differences.
This was after a court had told the NLC and UTAG to settle the labour issues out of court, following an unsuccessful suit by the commission.
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