TEWU calls on GES to stop deduction of SIC premium

The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), has called on the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to stop the illegal deduction of the SIC insurance premium from salaries of members to ensure industrial peace.

The Union also called on the GES to urgently refund all deductions made from members, adding that TEWU will no longer tolerate the imposition of the insurance policy on its members.

Mr Mark Dankyira Korankye, the Acting General Secretary, TEWU, speaking at a press briefing in Accra, expressed concern about the entrenched position taken by the management of GES to continue to deduct monies from the salaries of members in the name of an insurance policy.

Mr Korankye said members of the Union at its Regional conference from June to July 2019, unanimously condemned the deductions because the consent of members was not sought in the first place to subscribe to the policy.

“Our position is that it is an insurance package; so individuals who think that it is good for them, should have been given the opportunity to pick a form and fill it to subscribe to it, but not impose it on members.”

He said other issues raised during the Regional conferences was the delay in paying critical support to all categories of workers under TEWU, the increasing work load under the free senior high school-double track system, the backlog of promotions, the need to fast track recruitment of more non-teaching staff, among others.

He explained that, the delay in promotion was affecting members in giving in their best, adding that for more than two years members who have received their promotion letters, were yet to be placed appropriately on their new grade.

The TEWU leadership has urged GES to expedite action on the recruitment process to augment the numbers of the non-teaching staff, instead of relying on temporary staff, who were paid by the Parent Teachers’ Association.

“It is the expectation of the TEWU national leadership and entire membership that these concerns raised will be addressed promptly, to avoid any action that can derail the academic calendar”, he added.

Source: GNA