The National Executive committee of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has indicated that it’s members will from Friday, October 8, lay down their tools.
According to the association, the decision was reached after the committee held it’s 20th congress following discussions with the government on Monday, September 26, to discuss it’s wages and welfare packages. At the said meeting it was revealed that government could not go beyond the cedi equivalent of $1200 payable in 2024, an amount that was rejected by the association in a previous meeting. UTAG however, proposed a minimum of the cedi equivalent of $250 per month for research allowance (plus a review of the 2024 implementation), and the implementation of the new market premium by December 21, 2021. Failure of which the market premium was to be restored to 2013 interim market premium value of %114 of the basic salary and be allowed to apply on every current basic salary. Following a lack of agreement with government, the association has decided to resume it’s suspended strike after a statement by its national executive committee is released on October 4.
The said release will contain the modalities of the strike action.
Also, the University Teachers Association of Ghana is insistent that it would not bargain its $250 per month for research.
It further added that ” there is no need for any further negotiations on the proposed conditions of service” and “UTAG will only return to work after condition 2 and 3 above are agreed and signed to by government “.
It would be recalled that the University Teachers Association of Ghana on August 17, suspended its 17-day old strike after the National Labour Commission withdrew a legal suit against it.
On Wednesday, August 18, UTAG signed a memorandum of agreement with government to call off the strike and continue negotiation, but on condition that all legal suits initiated by government against them are withdrawn.
The University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) suspended their end-of-semester exams due to the strike.
Examination, however, took place after UTAG withdrew its strike action.
