Staff of SDD-UBIDS and CKT-UTAS threaten strike action over government failed promises
Disgruntled workers in the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) and the CK Tedam University of Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) are threatening to lay down their tools on November 15 if their members are not migrated unto the government payroll.
The workers through their unions revealed to the Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum that issues that led them to embark on strike in August have still not been honoured.
Further, the unions revealed that it was agreed that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department was supposed to adhere to all the conditions in an agreement signed with them under the order of the National Labour Commission before the gradual steps to migrate workers to the government payroll system will take place.
Installation of an IPPD2 mechanized payroll system application software at the various campuses; the training of Finance directorates and personnel on the use of the IPPD2 system and a three-month test run with existing payroll data to rectify all mistakes were all included in the conditions that were supposed for a successful transition unto the government payroll system.
The unions said it was also agreed that their members were to continue to receive their salary through the University of Development Studies “until the conditions precedent are met.”
“This salary payment arrangement has since been problematic in that, UDS often pay their staff at the end of each month while the workers of SDD UBIDS and CKT UTAS are paid virtually two weeks into the following month. As of today (8th November 2021), we have not yet been paid our October salaries,” the unions noted.
Because these measures have not been put in place, the unions said they have faced “undue hardship” and “simmering tension” in their universities.
These two universities, the Simon Diedong Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) was the Wa campus of the University for Development Studies whiles the CK Tedam University of Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) was also the Navrongo campus of the University of Development Studies before they were granted autonomy.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
