The General Secretary of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), UG (Legon) Chapter, Dr. Bentel Quansah Bentum has said the Association has not suspended its strike action.
He noted that though the Association has agreed to resume work following an emergency meeting with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and Employment and Labour Relations Ministry, the strike action still holds.
Both parties [Government and UTAG] have also resolved to discontinue the legal processes concerning the protracted strike and have given themselves a one-month timeline to settle all outstanding issues.
A Memorandum of Agreement signed by the government and UTAG and after the meeting and sighted by Citi News noted that “both parties agree that there is a need to get back to the negotiating table from the week beginning Monday 23rd August 2021.”
During the period, government and UTAG will among other things negotiate the research component of the Book and Research Allowance, market premium, and non-basic allowance.
In an interview on Ahenkan FM, Dr Bentel said the Association cannot state whether its strike action has been called off or not since such a decision is dependent on the actions yet to be taken by the government.
“Today’s outcome is still contingent on a number of things happening and so it is no guarantee that we are off or on because what is contingent is that.. we have done a road map to give us a one month period within which we must have agreed with government on what it is we want or that we agree on what it is that is acceptable by general membership that we can work with. Aside that, also premised on is the fact that all the legal processes are discontinued against UTAG because we can’t be in court.
“So the condition of UTAG also taking steps to suspend the action is premised on these things and we are looking forward to the next day or two to see how those pan out. We haven’t suspended action as we speak. Suspension of the action is premised on the steps both parties are taking,” he explained.
Following the deliberations, the parties have agreed as follows:
1. That both parties (Government and UTAG) agree that there is a need to get back to the negotiating table from the week beginning Monday, August 23, 2021.
2. That a road for negotiation, as agreed at previous consultative meetings between the parties, which imposes a one-month mandatory period beginning 23rd August 2021 for negotiations, shall be signed by both parties;
3. That whilst the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations in conjunction with the NLC is taking steps to discontinue all legal processes against UTAG, UTAG will also take steps to suspend the ongoing strike action;
4. That government acknowledges the need to improve the working conditions of University Teachers and shall treat this will all the seriousness it deserves.
