UTAG disappointed with government for showing bad faith in negotiations over their demands
The University Teachers Association of Ghana has expressed its disappointment at the current state of its negations with the government.
It chided the government for showing bad faith towards negotiations after the association agreed to temporarily end the three-week-long strike action early last month.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, UTAG said “During this round of the negotiations, the Employer indicated to UTAG that it could no longer negotiate the Interim Market Premium and Non-Basic Salary Allowance”.
UTAG has insisted that it has toned down on its demands and also gave the government ample time to address their demands but see no better results.
“It is important to indicate that UTAG has been overly generous by shifting its position substantially and even given ample time for the Employer to do the needful, subject to the conduct and implementation of the Labour Market Survey results which we have agreed effective December 2021.”
The association stated that it is not strike-happy but if the situation persists, it would have no option other than to withdraw its services again.
“However, we would have no option than to resume the withdrawal of teaching and related services on our various campuses if the Employer fails to approach and address our concerns frontally.”
Secretary of the association at the University of Ghana, Legon, Prof Ransford Gyampo said “Nobody is interested in a strike or industrial action but if that is the only language the government seems to understand then the association will have no option than to go back to that”.
This situation shows how negotiations have stalled once again between the government and the teachers’ body which if left unresolved could cause another academic setback to especially students in the various tertiary institutions.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
