Despite a decision from the National Labour Commission to put off the strike and come to the negotiating table on Wednesday, the Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) said its members would go ahead with the planned strike starting today, Monday, June 14, 2021.
The Association is protesting a variety of issues, including bad working conditions and the difficulties technical universities face in obtaining accreditation for academic programs.
Dr. Michael Akurugu, TUTAG’s National President, told Citi News that the strike is still in effect until a meeting with the Labour Commission.
He claims that the decision was made by their congress and that it cannot be changed by a single individual.
“We only received an invitation to attend a meeting on Wednesday in which it indicated that it heard that we are going to embark on a strike effective Monday, June 14, 2021, and that we should refrain from it. Declaring a strike or calling off a strike takes a whole process.”
“It is a congress decision for us to go on strike, and so we are going to meet the NLC on Wednesday and listen to what they have to say, but for now nothing is going to change until we know what the NLC has for us.”
NLC’s Order
The TUTAG has been directed by the National Labour Commission (NLC) to stop the planned strike and appear before it on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.
TUTAG has not exhausted due process, according to the NLC, which issued a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Ofosu Asamoah. As a result, it requested that the union abandon its plans.
“The National Labour Commission in the exercise of its powers under Section 139 (4) of Act 651 wishes to draw the attention of the Leadership of TUTAG to Sections 159 and 16 of Act 651 which provides grounds and the process for the declaration of a strike and hereby advises TUTAG to refrain from any/or all intended industrial action.”
“We are by this letter inviting all the parties to appear before the Commission on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 3:00 pm for a hearing of the issues in dispute.”
Source: CITINEWSROOM
