Striking Teachers Walk Out On Government During COLA Negotiation

Striking teachers on Tuesday walked out on government negotiators for the second time as the teacher unions demand their Cost of Living Allowances (COLA).

It appears that the Akufo Addo administration is not exactly ready to compromise with the teachers, as government negotiators demanded the teachers first call off their industrial action before negotiations can begin.

But the teachers thought the demand disrespectful and abandoned the negotiation table in a walkout that stunned government negotiators.

They are not ready to welcome us to this meeting, and we cannot begrudge them, and that is why we are walking out,” a leader of one of the unions told journalists.

“They are asking us to call off the strike before negotiations begin, which means the government side is not ready to continue negotiations unless teacher unions call off the strike. They have held all of us hostage. Since we are undesirable.”

Meanwhile, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has vowed it will not call off its strike despite President Akufo-Addo’s plea.

On Sunday, NAGRAT’s gender coordinator, Rebecca Ocran Abaidoo, forewarned that the group will not budge at the negotiation table on Tuesday.

“We are hopeful that we would have something tangible to send to our rank and file so that we would call off the strike. (But) We are still on strike and we have not called off the strike,” she said.

All pre-tertiary teacher unions declared a nationwide strike on Monday to press home demand for a 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) because high inflation, cost of fuel, goods and services have eroded their salaries.

Following the strike, President Akufo-Addo urged striking teachers to return to work pending the outcome of ongoing negotiations.

Mr. Akufo-Addo who has returned Ghana to the IMF made the call while speaking at this year’s Eid Ul Adha national prayers.