Universities’ Senior Staff intended strike ‘worrisome’ – Fair Wages

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has expressed surprise with the actions and decisions of the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana to embark on a strike over conditions of service.

Speaking to Citi News, the Head of Public Affairs at the commission, Earl Ankrah, stressed that “there is no deadlock.”

He instead said the association has consistently rejected offers from the government, aimed at bringing finality to their concerns.

“The issue with senior staff is that Government has made an offer which they turned down. They constantly turned down this offer that was made by the government, so it will be a bit unfair on their part when they say Fair Wages has been unresponsive.”

“For them to say they are going on strike, that is a bit worrisome,” Mr. Ankrah added.

The association has gone on to petition Parliament over what it has described as the government's failure to address conditions of service concerns it has been complaining about for a while now.

The association was hoping to have concluded negotiations on conditions of service by July 19, 2021.

It had threatened to go on strike again if the government failed to respond positively to its concerns.

The association is, among other things, demanding a payment plan for the tier-2 arrears for its members and the finalisation of their conditions of service.

Background

Back on May 18, the association declared an indefinite strike over the failure of the government to pay their members Tier 2 pension contributions.

Members of the association are also asking for the award of market premium and non-basic allowance, as well as the finalisation of negotiations of their conditions of service.

The association suspended its most recent strike on June 11 and expected positive signals from the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

But it said the lack of progress was frustrating its members.

The association also described the “loud silence” of the National Labour Commission on the matter shocking.

---Citinewsroom