Prime News Ghana

TEWU's strike is illegal- Fair Wages Commission

By Justice Kofi Bimpeh
Dr Edward Kwapong
Dr Edward Kwapong
Shares
facebook sharing button Share
twitter sharing button Tweet
email sharing button Email
sharethis sharing button Share

Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has described the strike action by Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) as illegal.

CEO of the Commission Dr Edward Kwapong said they have not even come to a deadlock for TEWU to embark on strike action.

"We've not come to a deadlock for a party to say they are going on a strike. Even if there is a deadlock you first go to the National Labour Commission for them to meditate and give a ruling. So it is an illegal strike and we know the effect of an illegal strike on the members of the Union."

The Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) has begun its nationwide strike today, January 13, 2021, in demand of better conditions of service, 

This follows the failure of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to conclude negotiation on their demand for better conditions of service has necessitated this action.

Local Union Chairman at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Charles Arthur speaking to Citi News said for “every public university, the members of TEWU will embark on a strike come Wednesday.”

“We are saying our conditions of service will have to be concluded because, in the conditions of service, we are supposed to be given other allowances which other entities get, but we don’t get at the moment,” he added.

The union who ealrier issued a statement said it would advise itself if the Commission failed to immediately conclude negotiation on the new conditions of service for the Unionised Staff of the public universities before the beginning of the academic year, in January 2021, which would come with added responsibility with the intake of the first batch of graduates of the Free Senior High School.

Mr. Arthur further blamed the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission for refusing to heed to their calls hence their decision.

His side has complained that for close to two years, the commission has not been able to finalise issues on the conditions of service.

“The onus lies on the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. If they had paid attention for us to conclude the negotiations, such a situation would not have occurred.”