CETAG ready for strike again over govt’s failure to respond to NLC ruling

The leadership of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has raised fresh concerns over their request to be migrated from tertiary working conditions to a fully-fledged university level.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, December 17, CETAG accuses the government of failing to implement the staff migration and pay compensation for all-year-round work, as directed by the National Labour Commission (NLC) last year in an arbitral award.

The situation is likely to disrupt academic activities if CETAG embarks on another strike, as they have set Friday, December 20, as the deadline for the government to fulfil its obligations.

According to the President of CETAG, Maxwell Bunu, the government has remained unresponsive after their previous strike.

“It’s been four months since the strike was called off on August 20, 2024, and all the employer has done is continuously deceive our members with letters, verbal assurances, and supposed incessant correction of errors in the audited staff data for migration onto the University Pay Structure, while the Vice President’s office remains completely silent on the issue,” he stated.

He also pointed out that the payment of the all-year-round compensation has been made to only four colleges out of the country’s 46 colleges of education.

Mr. Bunu argued that the government’s actions appear to be intentionally denying them what they are owed.

“The All-Year-Round Compensation (AYRC), which according to the MoA was to be paid by August 31, 2024, is yet to be fully paid. As of today, December 16, 2024, only four colleges out of the 46 have been paid in full. We consider this repeated failure by the employer to be a deliberate attempt to eventually deny us what is rightfully due to us,” he added.

Mr Bunu further emphasised that CETAG will not remain passive in the face of continued government neglect.

“From the developments outlined, it is clear that the employer is deliberately denying us our legitimate Compulsory Arbitration Awards without justifiable reason. Therefore, we wish to make it known to the press and the general public that the Association (CETAG) will not continue to tolerate the persistent violation of its members’ economic rights by the employer,” he said.

He stressed that CETAG would consider taking further action after Friday if the government fails to respond to their appeal.

“By this release, we are reminding the employer that if, by December 20, 2024, we do not see the full implementation of the NLC’s Compulsory Arbitration Awards and the associated payments reflected in our members’ accounts, we shall take necessary action. No amount of talks or interventions from any quarters will persuade us to rescind our decision,” he concluded.

Speaking to Emefa Apawu on Joy FM’s midday news shortly after releasing the statement, Mr Bunu affirmed that nothing would stop them from taking action that would compel authorities to address their concerns.

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