UTAG to meet government today, expects positive feedback from government
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is scheduled to meet with the government today, Monday, September 27, 2021, over their demands and the issue on the radar is their condition of service.
According to the association, the fate of their suspended labour action is hinged on today’s meeting.
It will be recalled that the association suspended a 13-day industrial action following a Memorandum of Understanding with the government which demanded the suspension for further negotiations into their conditions of service.
But it appears that some UTAG members are disappointed in the failure of the government to address their concerns.
However, the President of the University of Ghana chapter of UTAG Dr Samuel Nkubam revealed that the meeting will bring to the fore the government’s stance on their demands.
“After the suspension of the industrial action, we had a meeting and made some propositions, and of course, the figures are not for public consumption but we did make some propositions that members of the government team needed to take to their officials.”
“So the expectation is that we will be getting some feedback as to what the response of the government is, and as to whether that is acceptable or not acceptable to us.”
Members of the union had earlier threatened to resume the suspended industrial action if the government does not stick to the timelines agreed upon.
The Secretary of the University of Ghana chapter of UTAG, Professor Ransford Gyampo interview with citinews stated that the government is not seriously dealing with the association’s grievances.
He said “UTAG signed an MoU to suspend the strike to pave way for a one-month negotiation period. Some of us had to practically swim against the tide in persuading our members to agree to this. We agreed to talk for just one month. We never agreed to negotiate in perpetuity.”
“We are about 4 days into the one-month ultimatum and nothing concrete has been agreed upon and communicated to our members.”
UTAG members embarked on industrial action since the beginning of August 2021 to demand that the government restores the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012 which they said was far better than the current situation.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
