The ongoing strike by labour unions in the educational sector has been criticized by the Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC), Ofosu Asamoah. He branded their actions as ‘unjustified’ and ‘unnecessary.’
Mr. Ofosu stated that the decision by the unions to go on strike was impulsive, considering that negotiations with the Commission were still underway.
He expressed concern that strikes were increasingly being misused as a tool by labour unions. Mr. Ofosu spoke in an interview with Citi FM on Wednesday, January 31.
“There was an agreement between the parties involved. You leave the commission and go and declare a strike, and all others have also joined. You have put something across, and you have agreed, why go on strike when your issues have been resolved? Why do you want to be on strike when those issues that have not been resolved are being resolved by your good self?”
He went on to characterize the actions taken by the labor unions as ‘incorrect’ and unlawful.’
The Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana, Federation of Universities Senior Staff (FUSSAG), Teachers and Educational Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU), and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) are currently engaged in a strike, citing the government’s failure to address crucial concerns affecting their members.
Among the grievances raised by the labour unions are the employer’s perceived neglect of their welfare needs, including Tier-2 pension funds, vehicle maintenance allowance, and overtime allowance.
Despite these issues, the National Labour Commission (NLC) is urging the unions to halt their strike actions and resume negotiations.
