The National Labour Commission (NLC) and the leadership of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana, TUTAG, will today, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, meet over concerns raised by the latter, which have necessitated a nationwide strike.
This comes after a similar meeting with representatives of the Education, Finance and Labour and Employment Ministries.
The Association is protesting the poor conditions of service, the non-payment of 2018/2019 Research allowance arrears due to some members, the frustrations technical Universities encounter in getting accreditation for academic programmes, among other issues.
In an interview with Citi News, the President of TUTAG, Dr. Michael Brigandi, said the Association expects the meeting to yield positive results.
“We are poised to meet the Labour Commission today at 2:00pm. For us as a Union, we feel that we have followed all the laid down procedures regarding the declaration of the strike, and we are open to whatever discussions will ensue at the commission today.”
The issues raised by the union
1. The Conditions of Service for TUTAG members expired in 2006. We have since been engaging government to get us a new Conditions of Service to no avail.
2. Though the government has agreed in writing that we are to enjoy the same conditions of service comparable to the traditional universities, that is yet to be implemented.
3. TUTAG members are currently made to use a Scheme of Service that is harsh, compared to those existing in analogous institutions, thus slowing down the academic progression of TUTAG members.
4. The 2018/2019 Research arrears due TUTAG members have since not been paid to deserving members despite numerous reminders to the government.
5. Tier-Two pension payment for TUTAG members going on retirement has since not commenced, despite repeated promises by the government.
6. Technical Universities face numerous frustrations in getting accreditation for their academic programmes; thus hindering the academic growth of technical universities.
