The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-TUC) have declared an indefinite nationwide strike.
The unions have declared an industrial strike over what they described as the failure of the government, their employer, to address some pressing concerns affecting them.
They cited welfare needs, including payment of their tier-two pension funds with compound interest, over-time allowances and better conditions of service.
GAUA, for instance, lashed out at the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) for the poor handling of its conditions of service.
This strike by the labour unions, which started on January 17, 2024 have resulted in the withdrawal of essential services, such as cleaning the tertiary institutions’ environment, setting up classrooms for teaching and learning, providing security services and hospital services, among others.
The national chairman of the Tertiary Education Workers Union, Sulemana Abdul-Rahman, addressed journalists yesterday and indicated that they would only return to work if their concerns were addressed.
In university settings, like other workplaces, the role of every staff member is important and culminates in seamless day-to-day activities. As such, academic work would be greatly affected by the decision taken by the unions.
Teaching and learning cannot take place in filthy lecture halls, as vice chancellors and other management members cannot operate from untidy offices, and with no security, just to mention a few.
The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has urged the government to address the demands of the university senior staff. The NUGS says the strike is impacting final-year students, especially those who need supervision during their practical sessions.
The government should quickly engage the aggrieved union and sort out their concerns.
We are not oblivious to the fact that this is not the first time labour unions have embarked on a strike.
It would have been a sign of patriotism for them to consider the economic crisis the nation finds itself in currently, which has seen her take refuge at the IMF with strict conditions.
Usually, the timing for these strike actions is during election year when the agitators know the ruling government is vulnerable, for fear of losing votes and thus may succumb to their pressure and heed their concerns.
Granted that it is a strategy, we do not think it is wrong in any way, if the demands are genuine. The unions do not, out of the blue, declare strike actions. They follow due process which includes notices to the employer and government.
The Chronicle is particularly concerned about the strike action, as it will definitely have consequences for innocent students. But are they not justified, considering the hullabaloo surrounding the AFCON 2023 budget? We have our reservations on that matter and have expressed same in previous editorials.
In the midst of complaints from labour unions, comes the wanton dissipation of resources on the senior national football team, the Black Stars, and their abysmal performance at the ongoing AFCON tournament.
The amount of money budgeted for the tournament does not correspond with the performance of the team. It comes as no surprise that a section of Ghanaians are demanding a total overhaul of the Ghana Football Association and to check the wanton dissipation of resources with nothing to show for it.
The labour unions must be heard and their concerns addressed. We are delighted to note that the government has scheduled to meet the striking tertiary workers today, Thursday, February 1, 2024.
We expect that the meeting today will address the concerns that provoked the strike. On the other hand, the labour unions should not go to the negotiation table with an entrenched position. It should be a win-win situation in the interest of the nation.
