UTAG strike 2022

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has directed its members to withdraw teaching and related activities with effect from Monday, January 10, 2022, until further notice.[1][2] The University Teachers Association of Ghana has since January 10, 2022, withdrawn all services as declared.[3] The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has turned down an invitation to meet with the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the government in a bid to resolve its ongoing strike.[4][5][6]

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) is expected to convene a crunch meeting on Friday, February 4, 2022, over its industrial action.

This consideration comes after the Labour Court 1 directed it to consider settling its dispute with the National Labour Commission (NLC) out of court.[7][8][9]

Both parties were in court on Thursday, February 3, 2022, for the hearing of an application for the enforcement of a directive by the NLC.[10][11]

After a separate meeting with the parties in his Chamber, the judge presiding over the case, Justice Frank Rockson Aboadwe, entreated UTAG to take steps to consult its members on the possible suspension of the strike while NLC withdraws the legal case from court.

The Lead Counsel for UTAG, Kwesi Keli-Delataa, while accepting the offer, indicated that the national officers and NEC could not take the decision without consulting its members. He, however, reminded the Judge that anytime UTAG showed good faith, the employer reneged on its commitment.[12]

Reasons for strike

According to UTAG, the strike action is in response to “the worsening Conditions of Service (CoS) of the University Teacher and the failure of the Employer in addressing the plight of UTAG members within the agreed timelines.[1]

Engagements

The Education Ministry has met with Vice-Chancellors (VC) Ghana to strategize measures to end the ongoing strike by members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).[13] The meeting follows the court order for the National Labour Commission and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to settle the matter out of court.

Speaking to the media after the closed-door meeting on Friday, Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum assured the Vice-Chancellors Ghana of resolving the impasse as soon as possible.

“Professors, Vice-Chancellors, I am truly appreciative of your commitments to the course. The engagements you’ve been having with your various UTAG members and professors are much appreciated. I will not let you down and I will do everything possible to ensure that we come to an amicable conclusion that will bring joy to the faces of our students who are waiting eagerly to go back to the lecture halls to begin their academic endeavours,” he said.[14]

Effects of the strike

Should the strike continue for 21 days, all public universities are likely to be shut down.[15] Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Academic and Students’ Affairs at the University of Ghana (Pro VC ASA), Prof. Gordon Awandare, says the law does prescribe universities in the country to shut down 21 days after no academic work.[16]

According to him, such a decision is economically driven as careful consideration is taken on the institution's cost for the university's smooth running.[15]

In a related development, Education think tank, Africa Education Watch, has called on Vice Chancellors to shut down all public universities until the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) calls off its strike.[17][18]

Eduwatch is of the view that the continuous stay of students on campuses without any academic activity has adverse economic and social consequences on the students and their caretakers.

“They continue to incur expenditure they otherwise wouldn’t have incurred if they were home. We, therefore, call on Vice Chancellors to close down all public universities until the UTAG strike is called off,” Eduwatch said in a statement on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.

“Majority of students on campus are freshmen who have not even been matriculated. These freshmen have had no academic direction since they arrived in the universities to meet a university community without academic activity or supervision by their lecturers and counsellors due to the strike.”[18]

References
  1. "UTAG declares indefinite strike from Monday over worsening conditions of service". Graphic Online. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  2. "Ghana Labour Commission sue striking teachers as action enter week three". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  3. "Strike: UTAG declines NLC's invitation for a meeting on February 7". GhanaWeb. 2022-02-06. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  4. "UTAG declines invitation to meet with NLC despite court order". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  5. "UTAG Strike: NLC cancels scheduled meeting after UTAG declined invitation - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  6. "Gov't Makes Another Move To Resolve UTAG Strike". DailyGuide Network. 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  7. "UTAG Strike: Accra High Court Labour Division recommends out of court settlement - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  8. Agboklu, George. "UTAG Strike: Court directs NLC, UTAG to settle matter out of court". www.gna.org.gh. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  9. "Settle your dispute out of court – High Court tells NLC, UTAG". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  10. "NLC sues UTAG over ongoing strike". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  11. "NLC sues UTAG over ongoing industrial action - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-01-29. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  12. "UTAG Strike: National executives to hold crunch meeting tomorrow - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  13. "Education Ministry meets with Vice-Chancellors Ghana over UTAG strike - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  14. "Education Ministry meets with Vice-Chancellors Ghana over UTAG strike - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-04. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  15. Annang, Evans (2022-01-31). "UTAG Strike: Public universities face closure". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 2022-02-07.
  16. "UTAG strike: Shutting down universities after 21 days not backed by law, but an economic decision - Prof. Awandare - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  17. Boakye, Edna Agnes (2022-02-09). "Close down universities until UTAG impasse is resolved – Eduwatch to Gov't". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
  18. "Close down universities until UTAG strike is called off – Eduwatch to Vice Chancellors - MyJoyOnline.com". www.myjoyonline.com. 2022-02-09. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
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