Worker unions at C.K Tedam University threaten strike over payroll migration

Worker unions at the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences in the Upper East Region and other two newly created universities are threatening to embark on an industrial action if the government does not rescind its decision on migrating them onto the Controller and Accountant General Department payroll system.

The other two universities are the S.D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies in Wa and the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya.

According to the unions of the affected universities, the migration if forcefully implemented will result in the reduction of their salaries and allowances leaving out their counterparts in other universities.

The group says that, the move by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, contravenes the Labour Act and could lead to staff attrition.

In a press statement copied Citi News, UTAG Acting Secretary of C.K Tedem University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Dr. Jones Bugase, called on the government to urgently suspend the intended staff migration by March 12, 2021 or incur their wrath.

Below is the Press Statement:

HALT MIGRATION OF STAFF ONTO CAGD IPPD2 PAYROLL

With great concern and resentment, we the Members of UTAG, GAUA, SSA-UoG and TEWU of C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo and University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Somanya, hereby request the suspension of the clandestine attempt by Government to migrate staff of only the three (3) newly created Universities (CKT-UTAS, UESD and SDD-UBIDS,) onto the Controller and Accountant General's Department (CAGD) IPPD2 payroll. Members have observed that this migration as it stands, has nothing good to offer staff, but an intended effort to reduce the basic salaries and allowances of staff in the recently created three (3) Universities whilst our counterparts continue to enjoy no reduction in their basic salaries and allowances; such disparities cannot be accepted under no uncertain terms.

This conduct contravenes sections 67, 68 and 69 of the Labour Act, 2003 (651), which do not allow an employer to unilaterally vary the Conditions of Service of employees. To make matters worse, whilst the National leadership of our Unions are engaged with government at National Labour Commission on this issue, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) unilaterally decided to migrate staff of only these three Universities onto IPPD2 payroll. This surreptitious move will see members losing their basic salaries and allowances in the ranges of 5% to 59% due to placement on lower salary scales.

It should be stated clearly that, the three (3) newly created Universities are seriously under-resourced. Notwithstanding, our members are making huge sacrifices by providing the needed efforts through self-motivation with the aim of driving the speedy development of these institutions. We therefore do not deserve to be punished by lowering our current conditions of service with this intended migration.

We urgently call on Government to immediately rescind its decision on the intended migration of staff onto the IPPD2 payroll because of the huge disparities that have been identified in the GTEC correspondences sighted, while we await the finalisation of the ongoing discussions and engagements involving our Leaders, National Labour Commission and Government.

We are by a copy of this Press Release notifying the National Labour Commission and the Government that we will advise ourselves accordingly if the intended migration by GTEC is not halted by Friday, 12th March, 2021.

Thank you

---citinewsroom