Educationist, Mr Ekow Djan has opposed calls for members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) to return to the classroom following their strike.
Mr Djan indicated that the members of these associations have had to endure severe hardships for years owing to the failure of the government to meet their demands.
He said the issues of the associations must be resolved to enable them return to the classrooms.
“It is heartless and disrespectful to ask UTAG and CETAG to return to the classroom. They have lived with the delay/non-payment of Book & Research allowances and Market Premium for years. Government must pay absolute attention to their challenges.
“The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the National Labour Commission (NLC) must be bold to compel govt address these challenges once and for all.
“Nonpayment of responsibility allowances, market premiums, book & research allowances, trainee teachers allowances, failure to pay upgraded teachers their rightful salaries, 4 & 7 percent salary increments etc. are enough grounds to say President Akufo-Addo least respects Ghanaian teachers.
“The constant disrespect to Teachers by President Akufo-Addo and his government is heart wrenching and teacher unions (UTAG, CETAG, TUTAG, GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT, TTAG) must fiercely resist it,” he said in a statement.
CETAG members suspended teaching service starting last Thursday January 6.
The National Council entreated all of its members to comply with this directive.
This action came on the heels of, among other things, “The failure by the government to implement the 2017-2020conditiosn of service as agreed,” a statement said.Document-45Download
Meanwhile, the NLC invited the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) as well as Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) “for a hearing of the issues in dispute”.
The university lecturers on Monday, January 10 began an indefinite strike action over the Labour Market Survey, which was expected to be released by FWSC.
According to UTAG, there has been an undue delay with the release of the report on the Survey; hence, the declaration of the strike.
But NLC insists that the lecturers should have complied with section 159 of Act 651 by serving notice for the Commission to intervene before embarking on the industrial action.
“This notwithstanding, the Commission in line with its mandate under section 138 of Act 651 and also in exercise of its powers under section 139 of Act 651, writes to invite the disputing parties to appear before the National Labour Commission on Wednesday, 12th January, 2022 at 2:30pm for a hearing of the issues in dispute,” a statement issued by Director in charge of Administration/Human Resources Dr Bernice Welbeck.
“The parties are urged to take note of the time and date and appear as scheduled.”
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of UTAG, Dr Asare Asante-Annor, has disclosed to TV3 that the meeting has been postponed to Thursday, January 13.
He also described as “not correct” NLC’s claim that it was not informed about UTAG’s intention to take on FWSC.
3 news.com
