We’ve suspended our strike, we’ll call it off after successful negotiations – UTAG

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has indicated that it has not called off its strike, but has instead put it on hold pending successful negotiations with the government.

The association declared a strike on August 2, 2021, to protest the conditions of service of its members.

UTAG was dragged to court by the National Labour Commission over the matter, but the case was withdrawn from court to allow for an out-of-court settlement.

In a Citi News interview, the National President of UTAG, Prof. Charles Marfo, said the group has currently put the industrial action on hold but will completely call it off after successful negotiations with the government.

“We have not called it [strike] off. We have only suspended it. If we look at the document [Memorandum of Understanding], there are reasons for the suspension. We are supposed to have negotiations and finish within 30 days and if everyone is satisfied, there will be no continuation of a strike. Everything is clearly stated in the MoU, our concerns, needs, and conditions of service and the government has promised to look at them,” he said.

He added that lecturers should be expected back in the lecture halls on Monday after an official statement from UTAG.

UTAG suspended its two-week-old strike on Wednesday and also agreed to return to the negotiation table.

It followed an emergency meeting, its leaders had with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations and the National Labour Commission (NLC) on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.

Both parties [Government and UTAG] also resolved to discontinue the legal processes concerning the protracted strike and gave themselves a one-month timeline to settle all outstanding issues.

Source: Citinewsroom