Govt signs MoU to end strikes by 2 bodies

The government, the Technical Universities Teachers Association (TUTAG) and the Technical Universities Workers Association (TUWAG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a road map to end the sit down strike embarked upon by the two associations.

TUTAG and TUWAG embarked on a sit down strike to back their demand for improved working conditions.

The Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwesi Yankah and the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr Bright Wireko-Brobbey signed for the government, while the National presidents of TUTAG and TUWAG, Dr Solomon Keelson and Nana Kwapong Offei-Boohene respectively signed for their associations.

TUTAG and TUWAG

Members of the TUTAG have since September 12, 2018 embarked on a sit down strike.

The association says it is awaiting commitment by the government in writing to resolve its grievances about conditions of service.

The union is also at odds with the National Labour Commission (NLC) because it claims that as an impartial arbiter, the NLC was unable to compel the Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh to attend an arbitration sitting of all parties which was called by the commission on August 30, 2018.

Resolution of the parties

Briefing the Daily Graphic on the MoU, Prof. Yankah said the respective parties resolved that the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) provided a detailed schedule and guideline for the staff audit to the respective technical universities.

He said it was also agreed that based on that, the TUTAG would make a decision on the government’s appeal to call off  the sit down strike by its members within one week.

Prof. Yankah said according to the road map, the parties further resolved that by November 9, 2018, the staff audit should be completed.

“It was also agreed that after the staff audit, the NCTE shall put its report together and a meeting will be convened by November 30, 2018 to discuss the report with stakeholders,” Prof. Yankah said.

In addition, the parties further agreed that after the stakeholders meeting, the NCTE would share the approved scheme of service with the TUTAG and TUWAG members before the commencement  of the audit.

NCTE begins audit

In a separate interview, the Executive Secretary of the NCTE, Prof. Mohammed Salifu said the NCTE had already made available the schedule and had communicated the timelines to the respective associations in the various technical universities