The Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission (NLC), Ofosu Asamoah, has criticized the ongoing strike by labor unions within the educational sector, deeming their actions ‘unmeritorious’ and ‘needless.’
Currently, the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana, Federation of Universities Senior Staff (FUSSAG), Teachers and Educational Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU), and the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) are on strike due to the government’s failure to address their concerns.
These concerns include issues such as tier-two pension funds, vehicle maintenance allowance, and overtime allowance, among others. Despite ongoing negotiations with the Commission, the unions opted for a strike, prompting Mr. Ofosu to express his disapproval.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Mr. Ofosu criticized the unions for their precipitous decisions, especially when agreements had been reached during negotiations.
“There was an agreement between the parties involved. You leave the commission and go and declare a strike, and all others have also joined. You have put something across, and you have agreed, why go on strike when your issues have been resolved? Why do you want to be on strike when those issues that have not been resolved are being resolved by your good self?”
“It’s quite an unfortunate situation. It’s like, at the moment, the strike is becoming a tool that is being misused. I failed to find the legs on which they were standing to declare the strike and close all universities. As if they just want to close it for fun. Their strike is unmeritorious, it’s needless,” he pointed out.
He further described the actions by the labour unions as ‘wrong’ and unlawful.’
“As the Executive Secretary of the NLC, with my experience, knowledge, and everything of the law, I think this is an unlawful [strike],” Mr. Asamoah insisted.
As the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Asamoah further described the actions by the labor unions as ‘wrong’ and ‘unlawful.’