We’ll continue to strike until our demands are met – NAGRAT
Mr Angel Carbonu, president of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT ) has served notice that his group will not back down on its demand for a Cost of living Allowance until its needs are met.
He stated that industrial action was the last option for teacher unions after several negotiations with the government yielded no positive results.
“We have overdone proper and wide consultations before the announcement of the strike. All ten regional secretariats of the unions, one after the other, the groups had indicated to the government the peril under which teachers are working.”
“We started making this call as far back as February. That is what has brought us to the point where we are today. To back down [on our demands] is an indication that we should not have even asked for it,” he explained.
He explained that their strike is not only a protest against the non-payment of their allowances but a reflection of worsening economic conditions in the country.
“It is a call that reflects the economic quagmire that Ghanaians are faced with.”
The unions currently on strike include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).
The teachers are fighting for the payment of between 20% and 30% of their salaries as a Cost of Living Allowance.
According to the teachers, the allowance will cushion them from current economic conditions and the worsening plight of teachers.
The government is expected to negotiate again with the unions over the ongoing strike.
Mr Carbounu was hopeful the second round of negotiations will motivate the teacher unions to call off their strike.
“I hope Wednesday’s meeting will arrive at a concrete answer to the demands that we have made, and not appeal to us that it is in the pipeline.”
