General News of Monday, 9 August 2021
Source: 3news
2021-08-09
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The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says it will challenge the National Labour Commission’s injunction to have them return to work.
The Association has been defiant of the court injunction secured by the Commission as they continue their strike, demanding the restoration of a 2012 Single Spine Salary Structure agreement that would see entry-level lecturers earn the cedi equivalent of $2,084 monthly.
Earlier negotiations between the state and UTAG last week broke down, compelling the NLC to seek intervention from the courts.
But in an interview on the 3FM‘s Sunrise morning show, National President of UTAG Professor Charles Marfo indicated that the Association will contest the injunction secured by the NLC.
“We are also engaging with our lawyers, probably by the close of the day we will also file our case in order to set aside the injunction secured by the Commission. That is where we are now,” he told host Alfred Ocansey.
“We are not returning to the lecture hall today except if by close of the day something different happens. We are still on strike because as we speak right now, per the advice of our legal team, we are preparing to head of court.”
Meanwhile, Political Scientist at the University of Ghana and member of the University Teachers Association of Ghana Dr Alidu Seidu is bemoaning the rising attrition rate of university lecturers as a result of the poor working conditions.
“I think the National Labour Commission should try as much as possible to be an impartial arbitor. They should first try as much as possible to look at the merits of the case before them.
“I have never seen a situation where the National Labour Commission had gone to court to compel government to fulfil promises made to labour.”
He further stated that “if care is not taken, we risk collapsing our educational system considering current happenings in the country with respect to the sector”.