Members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), in a statement released on January 8, 2022, served notice to embark on a strike action, commencing today, Monday, January 10, 2022.
According to the statement, UTAG had demonstrated the utmost good faith in negotiating with the government on matters relating to their (UTAG) conditions of service. UTAG said it demonstrated good faith to the government six months ago, when it called off the initial strike for academic activities to continue. UTAG has reiterated that it was now time government meets their demands.
UTAG went on strike a few months ago over worsening conditions of service and failure of the government to address the plight of its members. The university dons, subsequently, called off the strike due to preliminary negotiations and an agreement they had with the government.
But UTAG, in the statement, signed by its National Executive Committee (NEC), once again raised the issues of their worsening conditions of service and failure of their employer in addressing the plight of its members within the agreed timelines. As a result of the lack of good faith shown by their employer, UTAG would, therefore, commence its strike action from today.
According to the statement: “It may be recalled that the Interim Market Premium(MP), which was instituted following the implementation of the Single Spine Pay Policy got frozen, per a Government White Paperback in 2013.
For the above purpose, the conduct of a Labour Market Survey(LMS) to determine a Market Premium payable to workers deserving of it has to date “not been made, which has resulted in the erosion of the University Teacher’s salary.”
To UTAG, “generally our members have decried the pittance agreed to be paid as annual allowance and would want to have government to consider the payment of a more realistic research allowance as this is critical to our research output, promotion and ultimately national development .”
The Varsity dons concluded their statement by calling on the Employer to restore members to the 2013 IMP of 114% of Basic Salary in the interim whilst government goes ahead to formulate guidelines to implement the appropriate recommendations to address the condition of service of the University teachers, adding that any delay by the Employer would further exacerbate the already fragile academic calendar to the detriment of all stakeholders.
