The government must embark on mass dismissal of striking teachers if they fail to agree to the employer’s [government’s] demand during negotiations on the cost of living allowance, a labour consultant, Yiadom Boakye Amponsah has said.
Boakye Amponsah’s comment comes after the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) asked the striking teachers to call off their strike to pave the way for proper negotiations with the government.
The teachers comprising four teacher unions on Monday( 4 July) began an indefinite strike over what they described as the government’s failure to pay their cost of living allowance (COLA).
“Negotiations follow a certain protocol. So you cannot just jump the gun, especially, when you know that your institution drives its strength from its budget and budgets are done on annual basis,” he said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Wednesday (6 July).
“My position will be that, let’s discuss the issues when you think that we can consider the inflationary trends in 2022 to determine your salaries … For me, if the unions insist, if I sit in that position as the chairman for the discussion, I will be looking for a mass dismissal,” Boakye Amponsah said.
“Because you cannot hoodwink the whole nation to something which is not legitimate. Everybody is going through tough times,” he added.
Listen to the audio below:
Teachers declare indefinite strike over cost of living allowance
At least four teacher unions in Ghana have declared an indefinite strike over their cost of living allowance (COLA).
They are the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union.
The strike took effect Monday 4 July 2022, the unions said at a press conference in Accra.
They said the government failed to meet their 30 June deadline to pay their members the cost of living allowance.
“We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike having gone passed the 30 June deadline we gave government for the payment of cost of living allowance,” the general secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah said.
“Consequently, we have decided to embark on strike from today, Monday 4 July 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing services in all the pre-tertiary education institutions. This includes teaching and non-teaching staff.,” he added.
The teachers are fighting for the payment of between 20% and 30% of their salaries as a cost of living allowance. They said the allowance will cushion them on the back of current economic conditions and the worsening plight of teachers.
The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has initiated moves to meet with the unions.
Fred Dzakpata
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