UTAG declares an indefinite strike
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The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has declared an
indefinite strike.
According to UTAG, the decision to strike was necessitated by what
they consider as government's deliberate attempt to unduly delay the
payment of their book and research allowance.
Speaking at a conference on Thursday, Dr. Samuel Ofori-Bekoe the
National President of UTAG insisted they will only call off the strike
if their monies are paid and they are assured the book and research
allowance will also not be scrapped.
Find below the full details of the press statement
UTAG'S PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE DELAY IN THE PAYMENT OF THE 2013/2014
BOOK AND RESEARCH ALLOWANCES HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PROFESSIONAL
STUDIES, ACCRA (UPSA) ON THURSDAY, 24TH JULY, 2014
Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
You will recall that on 8th April, 2014, UTAG held a press conference
at this same venue to express its position on and disappointment with
Government's unilateral decision to abolish the Book and Research
Allowances paid to Academic Senior Members of the Public Universities
and in its stead replace it with a National Research Fund. We made our
position clear that UTAG is not opposed to the creation of the
National Research Fund. However, UTAG's position has been that the
National Research Fund should not replace the existing Book and
Research Allowances.
It may be recalled that in that same press conference and subsequent
explanations on various platforms, we justified the retention of the
Book and Research Allowances based on the following reasons:
That since the Book and Research Allowances are tied to the University
Lecturer's condition of service, and was introduced as a result of a
collective decision taken by both Government and UTAG, its intended
abolition cannot be a unilateral decision as such an action would have
implications for the overall conditions of service of the university
lecturer.
That the existing Book and Research Allowances guarantee minimum and
immediate research support across the board for all lecturers and
research fellows.
That early career lecturers and researchers in the public universities
take advantage of the Book and Research Allowances to start their
professional development and career in terms of the conduct of
research, purchasing of books and other instructional materials, the
subscription to academic journals among others. The intended abolition
of the Book and Research Allowances will hurt the career development
of such category of academics.
That the reasons why the Book and Research Allowances were introduced
in the 1995/96 academic year are even more relevant today than at any
other time in the past, owing to large student numbers resulting from
increasing enrolment at the public universities, which have increased
the research/teaching burden of the lecturer enormously.
That if government goes ahead with the proposed abolition of the Book
and Research Allowances, it will have grave implications for the
future of the public universities in Ghana.
Following that press conference, UTAG sent a letter of intent to the
National Labour Commission (NLC) to withdraw its services by April 15,
2014 if the Government did not take steps to start the process for the
payment of the Book and Research Allowances for the 2013/2014 academic
year and also rescind its decision to abolish the allowances.
Subsequently, the National Labour Commission (NLC) issued a directive
on 16th April, 2014 to both UTAG and the Government to go back and
negotiate on the issue and report to it on May 14, 2014.
UTAG complied and put a stay on its intention to withdraw its services
with the hope that Government would demonstrate its commitment to
resolving the issue. At the negotiations, UTAG provided official
documentation to support its claim that the allowances are part of its
condition of service as captured under: Section 9.13 of the Unified
Conditions of Service for Public Universities in Ghana."
UTAG further provided a letter it received from the Fair Wages and
Salaries Commission (FWSC) in response to UTAG's request in 2013 for
increment of the allowances. The letter which was signed by the
Executive Secretary FWSC in the person of Mr Smith Graham stated that
the Book and Research Allowances belong to Category II and III
schedule of allowances and would continue to be paid at the existing
rate until they were reviewed later by the Public Services Joint
Negotiation Committee (PSJNC). Copies of both documents were submitted
to the Minister of Education.
Unfortunately, the negotiations ended in stalemate in spite of the
documentation and evidence UTAG had provided to prove its case.
Surprisingly, Government still insisted that it would put the money
into the proposed National Research Fund.
Both UTAG and the Government reported the botched negotiations to the
National Labour Commission on May 14, 2016. Subsequent to that, the
NLC ruled that the next step, as per the Labour Act 2003, Act 651 was
for both parties to go for mediation to which UTAG complied.
Although the National Labour Commission (NLC) had recommended that
both parties should go for mediation, Government requested UTAG to opt
for voluntary arbitration because of cost implications. UTAG, in a
show of cooperation to resolve the matter, once again, obliged.
The NLC nominated a sole arbitrator to arbitrate on the issue which
UTAG was copied. Surprisingly, when the arbitration process was about
to start, Government changed its mind and is now demanding, for the
second time, a waiver of voluntary arbitration for compulsory
arbitration without any tangible reasons.
UTAG has also noted with concern, a recent press statement by the
Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, Hon Samuel Okudzeto
Ablakwa that suggests that the payment of the Book and Research
Allowances has not delayed because they are usually made in September.
In a similar manner, the Hon Minister for Finance, Mr Seth E. Terkper,
in his presentation of the 2014 Mid-Year Review Budget Statement to
Parliament on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 announced that Government had
established the National Research Fund with a seed money of GH¢15
million to replace the Book and Research Allowances (See page 45,
under the subheading National Research Facility).
This notwithstanding, Government has had a meeting with UTAG on 23rd
July, 2014 and has supposedly agreed to pay the Book and Research
Allowances for the 2013/2014 academic year but with no clear time
lines. UTAG considers these inconsistences by Government as not only a
mere pretence, but also a lack of clear focus, and a deliberate
attempt to unduly delay the process.
The leadership of UTAG, has so far, managed to contain the frustration
and anger of its entire membership on the various campuses, and has
demonstrated the highest level of magnanimity and cooperation on this
matter, all in the effort not to disrupt the academic calendar.
Unfortunately, under the present circumstances, it has become
extremely difficult to contain the situation. Consequently, UTAG has
decided to withdraw indefinitely its teaching services with effect
from today, Thursday, 24th July, 2014.
Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press!
[Citifmonline]