TUTAG strike begins today

The Technical University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (TUTAG) is pressing on with its intended strike beginning today [Monday, June 14] in disregard of a National Labour Commission (NLC) directive.

TUTAG announced its intention to embark on the industrial action in protest of poor conditions of service.

In view of that, TUTAG wants its members to halt teaching, invigilating, marking examination scripts, submitting results, and attending meetings of technical universities.

TUTAG begins the strike at the same time the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) is expected to end theirs after staying away from classrooms for more than two weeks.

In a swift reaction, the NLC directed the Association to discontinue any plans to protest.

Instead, the NLC instructed the group to appear before it for deliberations on Wednesday, June 16, 2021.

“The National Labour Commission in the exercise of its powers under Section 139 (4) of Act 651 wishes to draw the attention of the Leadership of TUTAG to Sections 159 and 16 of Act 651 which provides grounds and the process for the declaration of a strike and hereby advises TUTAG to refrain from any/or all intended industrial action.”

But TUTAG maintains that the strike would proceed unabated until there are solutions to their concerns.

They will avail themselves for the meeting with the NLC as they stay away from all activities relating to lectures and would only back down if “there are documents suggesting that our research arrears which have been pending for far too long, will be paid and other conditions of service will be provided in the shortest possible time”.

“Based on that, Congress will decide as to whether the strike will continue or it will be suspended,”  President of the Association, Michael Brigandi, said.

The concerns of TUTAG are as follows:

1. The Conditions of Service for TUTAG members expired in 2006. We have since been engaging government to get us a new Conditions of Service to no avail.
2. Though the government has agreed in writing that we are to enjoy the same conditions of service comparable to the traditional universities, that is yet to be implemented.
3. TUTAG members are currently made to use a Scheme of Service that is harsh, compared to those existing in analogous institutions, thus slowing down the academic progression of TUTAG members.
4. The 2018/2019 Research arrears due to TUTAG members have since not been paid to deserving members despite numerous reminders to the government.
5. Tier-Two pension payment for TUTAG members going on retirement has since not commenced, despite repeated promises by the government.
6. Technical Universities face numerous frustrations in getting accreditation for their academic programmes; thus hindering the academic growth of technical universities.

The education sector has been inundated with a series of strikes.

The National Labour Commission and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) had to sept in to resolve the issue over payment of Tier 2 pension contributions before the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG)agreed to resume work.

The development could affect tertiary students after long periods at home following that COVID-19 pandemic.