UTAG decides to continue strike 'until further notice'

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association has all 13 member universities of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) have decided not to return to work.

He noted that the Association reached a consensus after UTAG received their resolutions on the industrial action, in which they unanimously agreed to continue the strike action.

The NEC in a press statement issued by Dr K. K. Abavare on 8 August 2021, indicated: “Following the stalling of negotiations with the government on our Conditions of Service (CoS), which culminated in our declaration of a nationwide withdrawal of teaching and related activities among member public universities, all local branch executives were tasked by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to convene an emergency meeting to solicit the views of members on the way forward.”

The National Labour Commission secured a 10-day interlocutory injunction on the indefinite strike declared by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).

The court said upon reading the affidavits of Mr Ofosu Asamoah, the Executive Secretary of the applicant filed on 5 August 2021 in support of the ex parte motion for an order of interlocutory injunction and upon hearing the submission of Yehoda Quartey, holding brief for Afiba Amihere, counsel for and on behalf of the applicant, “it is hereby ordered that the respondent [UTAG] by itself, its executives, officers, members, agents, servants, etc., are restrained from continuing with the current industrial action” and “are to comply with the directive of the NLC dated 2 August 2021”.

Taking the urgency of the matter into account, the court said “in addition to personal service of the order on the respondent, it is also to be served on the respondent by substituted service through the electronic media – radio, TV and other current electronic means”.

“It is, hereby, further ordered that this injunction is for 10 days and upon its expiration, the applicant is to come back on notice”, the order, given by the high court of justice, Labour Court 1, on Friday, 6 August 2021 and signed by Edem Erica Agbogbli, Deputy Registrar, noted.

But UTAG, in the statement reiterated its resolve to remain on strike until the demands are met.

“The consensus is that the withdrawal of teaching and related activities must continue until government puts some enhanced and progressive proposals on the table. The call is also for us to remain focused, united and resolute in our quest to ensure that government initiates and implements appropriate measures to improve our CoS,” the statement further indicated.

UTAG declared an indefinite nationwide strike from 2 August.

“We write on behalf of the National Executive Committee of UTAG to inform and/or remind you of the intended strike of UTAG. By this notice, all campuses are to withdraw all teaching and related activities – teaching, examination, invigilation, marking of examination scripts, processing of examination results, etc., from Monday, 2 August 2021 until further notice. We encourage all members on our various campuses to comply with this directive”, the letter signed by Prof Charles Marfo, National President and Dr Eric K.K. Abavare, National Secretary, said.

A few weeks ago, UTAG’s NEC notified the National Labour Commission (NLC) of its intention to strike.

The industrial action, according to UTAG, is against the “government on the grounds of its failure to address the worsening conditions of UTAG's members within an agreed period.”