Labour Commission directs teachers of Accra Polytechnic to call off illegal strike

The National Labour Commission (NLC) on Wednesday directed members of Accra Polytechnic branch of Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) to call off their strike because it is illegal.

They embarked on the strike action to press home their objection to certain provisions in the revised statutes of the Polytechnic.

The directive was made in a statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr. Mohammed Affum, Public Affairs Officer of the NLC.

“In a letter to the Chairperson of the branch, the Commission said in exercising their right to embarking on strike, the members did not satisfy the requirements of Section 159 of the Labour Act for embarking on a strike”, it said.

The Section states: “Where the parties fail to agree to refer the dispute to voluntary arbitration; or the dispute remains unresolved at the end of arbitration proceedings, either party intending to take strike action or institute lockout, shall give written notice of this to the other party and the Commission, within seven days after the failure to agree to refer the dispute to voluntary arbitration or the termination of the proceedings”

The letter stated that since the teachers had not complied with this provision of the Labour Act, their strike was illegal.

The Commission reminded the teachers of the sanctions for illegal strike as provided for under Section 168(4) of the Labour Act which include termination of employment by the employer without notice for breach of contract of employment or forfeiture of remuneration in respect of the period during which the worker engaged in the illegal strike.

In another development, the Commission has invited the Association and management of Accra Polytechnic to a meeting on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 to discuss the concerns of the teachers and the way forward to ensuring harmonious labour-management cooperation at the Polytechnic.

Source: GNA