Government To Meet With UTAG Over Their Strike Today

The government is expected to hold a crunch meeting today [Tuesday], August 3, 2021, with the leadership of the University Teachers Association of Ghana, [UTAG]. This was also made known by the Deputy Minister for the Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Werreko Brobbey on Monday, August 2, 2021. UTAG commenced

an indefinite strike on Monday. They are demanding the implementation of a 2012 Single Spine package which put entry-level lecturers on a salary of $2,084, while the senior staffers want the computation and release of their tier 2 Pension in arrears with interest. The meeting called by government is expected to come up with a

roadmap also to address their demands. The Deputy Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Werreko Brobbey, is optimistic of a fruitful meeting. What the law says is that before we engage them, they must suspend their strike and come for us to meet. It is just a short notice to them though, but we are calling on

them to meet with us. I must also be candid that in my engagement with UTAG, the strike has also not been something on the table at all. I am sure they think they have been stretched to a limit. Meanwhile, the National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed both UTAG and the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana,

to also call off their strike and then appear before the Commission on Thursday, August 5, 2021. In separate letters to the two unions, the NLC directed them to stay any or all intended actions for the the parties to appear before the Commission. The Executive Secretary of the NLC, Ofosu Asamoah, has urged the two unions to consider ongoing negotiations.