UTAG members to remain on strike while they face NLC in court
The University Teachers Association are still not entering the lecture halls despite the group being dragged to court by the National Labour Commission over its action.
The NLC is thus seeking an interlocutory injunction from the High Court in Accra to compel the lecturers to return to the lecture halls. The case is expected to be heard on Thursday, February 3, 2022.
According to the striking lecturers who are demanding better conditions of service, the National Labour Commission has failed to resolve its [UTAG] concerns.
It also maintains that it would not be coerced into calling off the strike action without an appropriate solution from the government.
General Secretary of the University of Ghana Chapter of UTAG, Prof. Ransford Gyampo noted that the association remains unshaken by the legal processes.
“The suit doesn’t bother anyone. We knew that was what the NLC was going to do, and we were prepared. They even delayed, and it took them a long time to go to court. The court is presided over by competent judges who will be able to look at the merit of the case. It should be put out there that the earlier case via ex-parte to restrain us from continuing with the strike was not granted by the court. So we are going there on Thursday in person to explain why our strike should continue. That is what we are bent on doing, so we will meet the NLC in court.”
For some time now lecturers have been urged to call off their strike, which is currently in its fourth week, but they insist they will only return to the lecture hall when their demands are met.
Meanwhile, the National Labour Commission (NLC) says it is confident it will win the legal battle against the striking lecturers.
Already, UTAG has stated that it is ready to launch strong legal arguments to continue with its industrial action in its quest for better conditions of service.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
