On Wednesday, August 4, 2021, a meeting between the government and the University Teachers Association of Ghana, UTAG, regarding the ongoing strike ended inconclusively.
On Monday, August 2nd, the teacher union began an industrial action to seek improved working conditions.
The issue has had an effect on academic activity at different universities throughout the nation, with some schools threatening to shut down if the strike lasts longer than two weeks.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations reached out to the University Teachers Association in an attempt to find a solution.
Professor Charles Marfo, the National President of UTAG, told Citi News that the government could not fulfil their requests.
“I’m sure if government shows commitment of meeting any of it, definitely we will call of the strike. What they proposed was just not right. They committed that to the NEC and the NEC directed that we go back to our various branches and share with our members, and they will tell us the way forward,” he added.
UTAG has said that it is willing to negotiate with the government and expects it to provide them with viable alternatives for consideration if their demands seem to be unreasonable.
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UTAG is seeking the execution of a 2012 Single Spine package that would pay entry-level professors $2,084 per year, while senior employees want their tier 2 pensions computed and released in arrears with interest.
It maintains that the present working circumstances of its members are worse than what they had nine years ago.
Since Monday, August 2, 2021, the union has been on a national strike.
Source: ATLMNEWSROOM
