Coalition of concerned teachers threaten strike over conditions of service
The Coalition of Concerned Teachers has threatened to embark on an industrial action if the government, through the National Labour Commission (NLC), fails to act on agreed terms and conditions by Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
According to the group, the NLC, at their last meeting, assured them that the government would, by November 17, resolve issues regarding the allowances of its members.
The group has threatened industrial unrest if their demands are not met.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the President of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, King Ali Awudu, said they can no longer hold their members back.
“The 17th of November 2021 deadline given to GES and Teacher Unions to resolve issues (such as responsibility allowance, deprived area allowance, promotion challenges etc) presented to the National Labour Commission is tomorrow Wednesday, November 17th, 2021.”
“We wish to caution that, if by the 17th of November, 2021, no favourable agreement is reached among the parties, we would not be able to hold the anger of teachers any longer.”
The group also wants the government to take a second look at the 4 and 7 percent base pay rate for 2021 and 2022 and the Single Spine Pay Policy.
It is asking the government to begin negotiations that will review the rates upwards to match the current economic hardship teachers are experiencing.
“Though the Unions for the Public Sector Workers through the Public Services Joint Standing Negotiations Committee (PSJSNC) agreed on 4% and 7% base pay increment for 2021 and 2022 respectively, the economic situation in the country as of now has necessitated the call to take a second look at the Base Pay.”
“Since March this year, the conditions of our members (workers) and their purchasing power keep declining as a result of the difficult economic conditions in the country. Prices of goods and services are soaring, thus making the 7% base pay increment for next year already moot. In line with this, we call on the government to, as a matter of urgency, invite the leadership of Organised Labour, to sit and negotiate for a Cost Of Living Allowance (COLA) for all public sector workers to ease the pain and suffering from the economic hardship teachers (workers) go through.”
“We request that these negotiations should commence before the end of this year, so it can be completed before the 2023 negotiations begin in the first quarter of 2022,” he added.
The group also called on the government to reconsider the ban on some forms of punishment in schools.
According to CCT, the Ghanaian child is gradually becoming more indisciplined as a result of the ban on corporal punishment by the Ghana Education Service.
“It is an undeniable fact that the Ghanaian child is becoming more indisciplined as a result of the ban on corporal punishment and its related disciplinary measures in our schools, giving rise to various acts of indiscipline with some resulting in the death of teachers and students, as well as the destruction to school property. Inasmuch as we are against the abuse of corporal punishment by some teachers, it remains a major disciplinary tool.”
“We are, by this, requesting for broader stakeholder engagement to reconsider the decision of the GES to ban some types of punishments in our schools. When we allow the canker to continue, it may have dire consequences on the future of our children and the country as a whole.”
