Colleges of Education Teachers, Gov’t Smoke Peace Pipe

…Sign MoU To End 2 Month-Old Strike

The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) is set to announce an end to its two-month long nationwide strike, after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government.

This was after the issues of the CETAG members, were amicably resolved during a meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Employment Relations (MLER) through the Fair Wages Commission yesterday.

Addressing the media, CETAG’s National Trustee, Maxwell Bunu, expressed optimism about the resolution of the strike, stating that most of the association’s key concerns, had been addressed.

He indicated that, a final decision on whether to call off the strike, would be made after further consultations with CETAG’s leadership.

“The issue of all-year-round work and then the de-freezing of the July salary and the payment of the August salary—I think all these concerns have been addressed,” Mr. Bunu stated.

According to him, “As a National CETAG Trustee, I don’t think it would be prudent for CETAG to remain on strike. We will go back and convey all the issues discussed and approved by the officials here, so that by the close of tomorrow, with consultation with the council, I think we will do the needful because we cannot continue to be on strike forever.”

The strike, which began on June 14, due to the government’s failure to implement agreed-upon arbitral awards and service conditions mandated by the National Labour Commission (NLC), has left campuses across the country, deserted and students stranded for over two months.

Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, also assured the public that plans, have been set in motion to make up for the lost academic time.

“I am appending my signature to signify the fact that I am committed or the government team is committed to that which we have agreed to in this document,” Employment and Labour Relations Minister said.

He urged students, who have left campus due to the strike, to return promptly, so that academic activities could resume without further delay.

“I want to plead with our students, who perhaps may have gone home as a result of the strike action, to hurry up and return to school so that academic work can resume.

“PRINCOF and CETAG have been tasked to work together to ensure that the hours lost are made up in a very short time, so it does not affect the next academic year,” Mr. Baffour Awuah stated.

The leader of the CETAG team at the table also said that “On behalf of over 2,000 members of CETAG I also want to assure the media and all that are here that CETAG is also committed to what has been put on this paper and therefore I wish to sign.”

Background

On June 14, teachers in the various colleges of education laid down their tools, demanding better working conditions and remuneration packages.

This was in response to the government’s delay in implementing the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Arbitral Award Orders and negotiated service conditions.

CETAG’s demands, include the payment of one month’s salary to each member for additional duties performed in 2022, and the application of agreed rates of allowances payable to public universities to deserving CETAG members. This strike affected 46 public colleges nationwide.

Source: Anchorghana.com