The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed the three striking teacher unions to call off their two-day old strike and return to the classroom.
The directive was given after a meeting convened by the NLC and attended by the representatives of the three teacher unions, Finance Minister Seth Terkper and the Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission George Smith Graham.
Although the NLC did not offer any explanation about the directive, it is believed the Commission might have hinted to the unions that their action was illegal.
[contextly_sidebar id=”1wrs7RztFMH5HhUJtJTyLHqJ3e9ABpW0″]The three teacher unions – Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) on October 27, declared an indefinite strike over government’s failure to pay their vehicle maintenance allowance, incremental fees and transfer grants and three months salary arrears.
The President of the CCT Ernest Opoku told Citi News that the leadership of the three unions are not satisfied with the directive given by the NLC but said they may call off the strike after consulting with their members.
“We are not happy with what happened at the Commission today. We were made to believe that the minister is going to tell us when the money will be paid. Unfortunately we’ve been directed by the Commission to form a working committee with the various unions having representation including the ministry of finance, that of education and then Ghana education service and then controller and accountant general,” he lamented.
He assured that “we are ready, we are going to meet with…our various counsels and inform them accordingly as to the directives given by the commission and we would respond to it appropriately.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, George Smith Graham opined in an interview with Citi News that the strike “could have been avoided if the unions had also been a little patient.”
The three striking teacher unions are also part of a current strike announced by labour over governmen’t failure to release theri tier two pensions.
Government has however sued them with a view to compel them to call of the strike.
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By: Franklin Badu Jnr & Godwin Allotey Akweiteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana