Ghana Teachers Nationwide Declare Strike To Protest A Litany Of Challenges: “Unfulfilled Promises”
- Three teacher unions have gone on strike to demand better conditions of service from the government
- They are the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers
- The chairman of the Concerned Teachers Association of Ghana in Kumasi told YEN.com.gh, the strike has sparked some change in the state
Three teacher unions have gone on strike to protest unsatisfactory conditions of service and some actions from the state.
The unions have complained about issues like the changes to the school calendar, the distribution of laptops and the blocking of teacher salaries by the Special Prosecutor.
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They have also said the negotiation of a new collective agreement should have been completed on or before February 29, 2024.
Addressing the media, the National President of GNAT, Isaac Owusu, urged teachers to comply with the decision to stop work.
“Thus, the new Collective Agreement stands un-negotiated and we raised this concern in our letter to the Director General GES, dated February 29th, 2024 and also informed the National Labour Commission. As we gather here now, the issue is still outstanding,” the groups said.
The unions that have gone on strike are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).
Concerns from Kumasi Teachers
This strike comes after the Concerned Teachers Association of Ghana in Kumasi demanded the payment of their 6-month outstanding arrears of mutual funds.
The group has complained that the government has disregarded their welfare and has continuously delayed the release of mutual funds.
Godfred McThetheh Ansah, the chairman of the group, told YEN.com.gh said the nationwide strike had now moved the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to take some action.
"Whenever we ourselves go there, they pretend they have no time until the time we all decided to declare a strike before they tried to engage us.”
Recent labour unrest
YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana's Senior Staff Association-Universities disrupted public university activities after a strike lasting about a month.
The Senior Staff Association of Universities in Ghana and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana went on strike from January 17, 2024, to February 9, 2024.
They wanted the government to pay all outstanding debt and contributions with appropriate interest from February to December 2023.
The unions also wanted the government to include the three percent penalty rates stipulated by the Pension Act, Act 766 section 64 because of the delays.
They were also upset with the policy cancelling overtime allowances, which the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission reversed.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
