UTAG on nationwide strike
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has announced the withdrawal of members’ services across the country effective Monday, January 10, 2022.
“UTAG has reiterated its resolve to follow through with the decision to withdraw teaching and related activities until further notice,” the Association said.
The Association said the indefinite strike, was necessitated by the government’s failure to address the worsening conditions of service of lecturers.
The statement explained that government also flouted the agreed timelines to address their concerns.
This was in a joint communique signed by the Presidents of the Public Universities Association’s and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
The statement said, “our members have decried the pittance agreed to be paid as annual research allowance and would want to have government reconsider the payment of a more realistic research allowance as this is critical to our research output, promotion and ultimately national development.”
UTAG had initially embarked on strike in August, 2021, requesting government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012 which it said was far better than what pertains currently.
Following the strike action, a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the government and UTAG, said “both parties agree that there is a need to get back to the negotiating table from the week beginning Monday August, 23, 2021.”
During the period, government and UTAG will among other things, negotiate the research component of the Book and Research Allowance, market premium, and non-basic allowance.
UTAG said for months, their concerns had not been addressed as per the agreed timelines in previous negotiations.
The statement is calling on government as a matter of urgency, to restore members to the 2013 Interim Market Premium (IMP) of 114 per cent of Basic Salary in the interim.
It also urged government to formulate guidelines to implement the appropriate recommendations to address the conditions of service of the university teacher.
“Following the uneasiness among UTAG members, any delay by the Employer will further exacerbate the already fragile academic calendar to the detriment of all stakeholders,” the statement said.
Source: GNA