CETAG Warns Of Nationwide Strike

The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has issued an ultimatum to the government, demanding the full implementation of the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) compulsory arbitration awards by December 20, 2024.

In a statement signed by the National President, Mr Maxwell Bunu, and the National Secretary, Mr Fidelis Kamaayi, CETAG expressed frustration over what it described as continuous “deceptive treatments” by their employer regarding agreements reached earlier this year.

It said the NLC’s arbitration awards, issued on May 2, 2023, included specific directives, such as the payment of a one-month salary as compensation for additional duties performed in 2022 and the migration of CETAG members onto their affiliate universities’ payroll structures.

Despite calling off a prolonged strike on August 20, 2024, following assurances from government agencies, CETAG says little has been done to address their concerns.

 

According to CETAG, the employer had promised to complete the staff migration process by October 30, 2024, and pay the All-Year-Round Compensation (AYRC) by August 31, 2024. However, the association noted that as of December 16, only four out of the 46 colleges have received full payment.

“It’s been four months since the strike was called off and all that the employer has done is to continuously deceive our members with letters, verbal assurances and supposed incessant correction of errors in the audited staff data for migration,” the statement read.

The association further accused the employer of deliberately violating members’ economic rights and attempting to deny them their entitlements.

“For the avoidance of doubt, if by December 20, 2024, we do not see the NLC’s compulsory arbitration awards being fully implemented and the associated monies reflecting in our members’ accounts, we shall advise ourselves, and no amount of talks or interventions from any quarters shall get us to rescind our decision,” CETAG warned.

 

The association called on the Vice-President’s Office, the Ministry of Education and other relevant stakeholders to act immediately to avert further disruptions in the education sector.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking to Citi News, CETAG National President Maxwell Bunu accused the government of deliberately withholding their rightful arbitration awards without justification. He warned that members are prepared to boycott lectures starting January 13, 2025, if their demands are not met.

CETAG is calling for urgent action to address the delays and ensure that teachers are fairly compensated, warning that further inaction could disrupt academic activities across Colleges of Education nationwide.

“We want to assure the outgoing and the incoming governments that until this is done, no college lecturer will step his or her feet into the classroom to teach come January 13, 2025. So the two governments should collaborate and get this done for the college teacher”.

Mr Bunu further called on the Nana Addo government to ensure that their demands are fully addressed before December 20, 2024.

“All members of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) are earnestly appealing to the outgoing government, in particular, to take steps to migrate all staff to the university salary structure as we have all agreed at several meetings.

“We are also asking them to pay the all-year-round work compensation that we deserve for the work that we did in the year 2022”.

 

 

 

 

 

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