The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has issued a warning of an indefinite strike if the government fails to address longstanding grievances by December 31, 2024.
This decision is contained in a press statement issued on December 23, 2024.
CETAG’s concerns stem from the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) arbitration award issued on May 2, 2023, which the government has allegedly failed to implement.
Despite showing good faith by suspending their strike on August 20, 2024, after appeals from key stakeholders—including the Vice President’s Office, the Minister for Employment, Labour Relations, and Pensions, and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education—the union says the government has once again breached the August 19, 2024, agreement.
“National Council wishes to reiterate that the Union shall no longer countenance further
excuses and willful violation of the agreement signed between the parties by the Government.
National Council shall proceed to declare another indefinite strike action per section 159 of the
Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651) if the outstanding concerns are not addressed by Tuesday, 31st
December 2024,” portions of the release stated.
The National Council identified three key grievances underlying their decision to proceed with an indefinite strike.
“Failure on the part of the employer, within a period of 20 months, to complete the migration
of the colleges of education teaching staff onto the affiliate universities’ pay structure.
The non-payment of top-up of Book and research allowance for 2023 to the staff of Akrokerri
College of Education.
“Government’s undue delay in paying the remaining 42 Colleges the one-month basic salary as compensation for all-year-round work done by CETAG members in 2022 as ordered by the NLC on 2nd May 2023.”
CETAG called on key stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, the Principals of Colleges of Education, the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana, and the Education Sub-Committee of the Transition Teams, to intervene and resolve the impasse.
The union emphasised that the timely resolution of these issues is critical to safeguarding the academic calendar and maintaining quality teacher education.
