The injunction that the National Labour Commission (NLC) secured from an Accra High Court on Friday against the strike action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is not going to compel the University Teachers to return to the classroom, Whatsup News has gathered.
Following an emergency meeting in response to the injunction, UTAG says that it has decided to continue with the strike until government heeds their demand.
“The call is also for us to remain focused, united and resolute in our quest to ensure that government initiates and implements appropriate measures to improve our CoS,” the Association said in a statement dated 8th August 2021.
National Secretary of UTAG, Dr. K. K. Abavare, has made it clear that the position is the resolution received from all 13 member public institutions mandating the continuation of the strike action.
“Following the stalling of negotiations with the government on our Conditions of Service (CoS), which culminated in our declaration of a nationwide withdrawal of teaching and related activities among member public universities, all local branch executives were tasked by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to convene an emergency meeting to solicit the views of members on the way forward,” stated UTAG.
“On behalf of the NEC, National would like to forward to you resolutions received from the thirteen (13) member public universities,” parts of the statement read.
University teachers started a strike on Monday, August 2 to demand the restoration of a 2012 Single Spine Salary Structure agreement that would have seen entry-level lecturers earn the cedi equivalent of $2,084 monthly. This was after negotiations with the government had broken down.
However, on Friday 6th August, the National Labour Commission secured an injunction against the strike. This is what UTAG has responded to with a statement.