Education Committee: UTAG Agrees To Call Off Strike

The leadership of the University Teachers of Ghana (UTAG), has agreed in principle to call off their strike after a crucial meeting with the Education Committee of Parliament.

 

This was revealed by the Ranking Member of the Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, who said UTAG will announce their decision after consultation with members.

 

The meeting with the Education Committee featured UTAG, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations as well as officials of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission.

“”After listening to the cases, we realised that there will be the need for more dialogue. We finally appealed as a committee to UTAG to call off the strike which they agreed in Principle. We expect they call off the strike today and then continue with the negotiations,” Peter Nortsu-Kotoe said.

 

 

The Labour Division of the Accra High Court on Tuesday granted an interlocutory injunction against the industrial action by the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) after an appeal by the National Labour Commission (NLC).

 

The NLC dragged UTAG to court after attempts to have UTAG call off its strike failed.

The court on two occasions ordered both parties to adopt an out-of-court settlement, but the engagements ended inconclusively.

With the latest order, it was anticipated that UTAG will immediately return to the classroom, but it has not.

 

 

The meeting with the Education Committee of Parliament seems to be the last attempt to resolve the impasse between the factions which according to Nortsu-Kotoe, has been amicably resolved.

It is unclear the conditions under which UTAG will be calling off the strike or the nature of concessions that were made at the meeting.

 

 

Meanwhile, the substantive motion is still in court, and it is expected to be heard on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. UTAG believes that they have a good case.

 

 

 

[USAG’s statement on the UTAG strike].

“It is time to put an end to this and university students would not sit unconcerned till there is a lasting solution”, the statement concludes.