By Benedicta Antwi
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has issued a directive instructing the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), affiliated with the Trades Union Congress, and the Senior Staff Association of Public Universities and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff to immediately call off their ongoing strike.
The unions declared a strike in response to the government’s neglect of issues about pensions and the alleged unjust termination of their overtime allowances.
The Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC), Ofosu Asamoah, told journalists after a meeting with the unions in Accra on Wednesday, January 24, that it was only proper for the unions to call off the strike and negotiate with the government for their concerns to be addressed.
Mr. Asamoah also noted that the government was ready to negotiate with the unions, adding that, he believed the unions would heed the directive.
“By law, if you are still on strike, you can’t negotiate. The law frowns on it. You can’t even wear red bands. It is intimidating. You brought up three issues, and two have been solved. The first one, your allowances, have been resolved, the UMAT and the UCC have been solved. The third one, which is in issue, the party against whom you are says I am guilty; however, let’s sit down and know how to correct it,” Mr. Asamoah said.
Also, the General Secretary of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the TUC, Mark Korankye, said that the unions would consult their members before reaching a final decision.
“NLC has given directives that the Ministry of Finance should meet with us to discuss and resolve the matter by the 1st of February. There are also issues that GTEC has to also resolve as far as overtime and other issues are also concerned. So they have also been directed to, as a matter of urgency, get this matter resolved. To the unions, the Commission says call off your strike.”
Before we can make any pronouncements on that, since we are only representatives here, we have to go and confirm with our rank and file and other leaders who are not here. So we are going to call a meeting of our members probably tomorrow or Friday, and then we will discuss what transpired here,” he added.