The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has indicated its readiness to embark on a nationwide strike on August 1, 2023.
This follows the non-compliance of the government to implement the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Arbitral Award Orders and the negotiated conditions of service since May 2, 2023.
In January 2023, CETAG embarked on an indefinite strike after the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) protracted negotiations for new conditions of service for more than a year.
The industrial action was eventually called off following interventions by the National Labour Commission which subsequently saw the introduction of compulsory arbitral orders for new conditions of service for CETAG.
However, in a press release dated Monday, July 10, 2023, the association noted that the agreed negotiations between the two parties have since not materialized despite several letters of notice to the Ministry of Finance.
“Following the NLC’s compulsory Arbitral Award, the parties proceeded to sign off the negotiation agreement, which has been communicated to the Ministry of Finance by the FWSC since May 26, 2023, for approval and implementation.
“Surprisingly, the MoF has refused to act on FWSC’s letter together with the NLC’s Arbitral ORDERS in spite of letters to the MoF requesting immediate implementation of the negotiated agreements. Practically, CETAG members cannot continue to survive on expired 2020 CoS in this biting economy of Ghana,” the statement read.
According to the CETAG, if the government fails to implement the negotiations by the end of July, they will be forced to lay down their tools until demands are heeded.
In addition, CETAG said it shall, from the beginning of the 2023/2024 academic year, not continue with the all-year-round academic calendar, describing the practice as a “killer”.
