Universities’ Senior Staff rejects NLC’s order to call off strike

• Posted on January 29, 2024January 29, 2024
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Senior Staff Association of Public Universities is maintaining that their strike is ongoing, despite the National Labour Commission’s directive to suspend it.

According to the Association’s leadership, they still need to convene and engage in discussions with their members before making any decision to unilaterally end the strike.

Isaac Donkoh, the National Chairman of the Association, emphasised in an interview with Citi FM that they will prioritise the interests of their members and will not be rushed into making any unfavourable decisions.

“We are still on strike at the moment. So we are expecting that engagement, and we hope and pray that the engagement will yield some positive results. Unfortunately, we planned to meet last week Friday, but we couldn’t convene.”

“So we are planning to schedule a meeting within the week before we meet the government. So we are yet to meet and decide,” he said.

The National Labour Commission issued a directive on Thursday, January 25, instructing the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU), the Senior Staff Association of Public Universities, and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff to immediately halt their ongoing strike.

The NLC argued that resolving the various demands put forth by the striking teacher unions would only be possible if the unions comply with this directive.

Following a meeting with the unions, Ofosu Asamoah, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, reported progress in addressing some of the concerns raised by the unions.

However, the NLC reiterated that the resolution of the remaining outstanding issues hinges on the unions calling off their strike action.

“So they have also been directed to, as a matter of urgency, get this matter resolved. To the unions, the Commission says to call off your strike.”

“Before we can make any pronouncement 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.

Despite this stance from the NLC, it appears that the unions are not backing down on their strike.

Meanwhile, the Association is expected to meet with the NLC on Thursday, February 1.

The ongoing strike by teacher unions, including the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress, the Senior Staff Association of Public Universities, and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff, was initiated in protest against the government’s perceived negligence of issues related to pensions and the alleged unjust termination of their overtime allowances.

-Joy