The ongoing industrial action by the Senior Staff Association of Public Universities in Ghana (SSA-UoG) and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff (FUSSAG) is hindering efforts to address their grievances, says the National Labour Commission (NLC). Mr. Ofosu Asamoah, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, revealed that attempts to persuade the striking group to abandon the industrial action in favor of negotiations have been unsuccessful.
Mr. Asamoah emphasized that prolonging the strike would disrupt ongoing efforts to resolve their issues. He expressed hope that the Senior Staff would call off their strike immediately to facilitate a scheduled meeting next week. The NLC aims to bring the parties together to explore potential resolutions, either through summary settlement, mediation, or arbitration.
Addressing concerns about the NLC’s efforts to prevent the strike, Mr. Asamoah explained that they communicated with parties involved and urged them to take steps to avert the strike. Despite these efforts, the strike was initiated by the Senior Staff Association on Thursday, January 19, to demand improved conditions of service, payment of tier-two pension arrears, and the restoration of overtime allowances.
The National President of the Association, Isaac Donkoh, expressed willingness to call off the strike if the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) withdrew its denial about their overtime allowance. The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Mr. Ben Arthur, described the senior staff’s action as unfortunate and emphasized the need for the matter to be resolved through proper channels.
As the situation unfolds, there is a call for swift resolution to minimize disruptions and address the concerns of university senior staff members in Ghana.