By: Kekeli K Blamey
The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has joined forces with the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) in a nationwide strike, effective Friday, September 20, 2024.
This decision comes after the government failed to address their demands for improved working conditions, despite numerous protests and negotiations.
TEWU in a statement cited the government’s failure to implement previously agreed-upon conditions, including the non-implementation of Vehicle Maintenance and Off-Campus allowances.
Despite an approval letter from the Ministry of Finance dated August 2, 2024, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has failed to implement these allowances for TEWU members.
Additionally, the union indicated that the government has neglected to recalculate and pay interest accrued from delayed Tier Two deductions to the union’s scheme from January 2010 to 2016.
They further argued that the government owes eight months’ worth of Tier Two deductions, which were deducted from employees’ salaries but not remitted to the union’s scheme for effective management.
Meanwhile, the SSA-UoG has been on strike since Monday, September 16, 2024, citing frustration over the government’s inability to fulfil previous agreements.
The strike is expected to affect public universities across Ghana, as TEWU urges its members to join the industrial action.
The union has called on the government to address these outstanding issues to ensure a dignified retirement for its members and prevent disruptions to the academic calendar.
