The President of University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Legon, Samuel Nkumbaan, has revealed that his members are ready to return to the negotiating table with government over its industrial strike.
According to him, the Association is expectant of government being transparent and meting out fair treatment to them.
His comments follow a High Court’s decision that the stand-off between UTAG and NLC should be settled out of Court.
“We are willing to go back to the negotiation table. We are willing to negotiate with government and we are hoping this time around… that government will treat us fairly; government will treat us with respect; government will do what he has to do by virtue of sending people who have locus to engage with us and to be able to make specific pronouncements that influence decision at the level of government. [And] not to send people who come to the meeting and cannot take decisions. If that happens, then yes, because we cannot continue like that”.
Samuel Nkumbaan
NLC’s court action against UTAG
Touching on whether the Association is ready accept the advice of the court, Mr Nkumbaan explained that the Association is willing to engage government and settle the matter out of court.
“Well it is not for UTAG to take the decision because the person who went to Court would be the one to withdraw the case from Court and to ask for out of court settlement. It is the NLC that went to court and we filed to set aside the plea that they had sent to Court and so for us if it is the role of government through NLC, to settle the matter out of Court, we are open to that engagement.”
Samuel Nkumbaan
UTAG members have been on strike since the beginning of August due to their demand from government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012. This, it noted, was far better than the current situation.
Following this, UTAG embarked on an industrial action on Monday, August 2nd, to demand better conditions of service.
The 2012 Single Spine package put entry-level lecturers on a salary of $2,084 while the current level puts lecturers’ salaries around $900.
The strike by UTAG has severely impacted academic and some non-academic work at the affected tertiary campuses.
UTAG’s meetings with government inconclusive
The situation has had an impact on academic activities in various universities across the country, with threats by the management of some institutions to close down the school if the strike exceeds two weeks.
In an effort to address the situation, the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations engaged the University Teachers Association on Tuesday, August 10, for a possible resolution.
But the National President of UTAG, Professor Charles Marfo, revealed that government could not meet their demands.
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