NLC threatens to take UTAG back to court
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has threatened to take the University Teachers Association (UTAG) back to court for disobeying the injunction it secured to suspend its ongoing strike.
The association on Monday, August 2, 2021, began a nationwide strike over what they say is the government’s refusal to heed to their calls to improve the conditions of service of university teachers.
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The NLC on Friday secured an injunction from the Accra High Court to compel UTAG to end the industrial action.
The injunction is to last for 10 days.
Court order
However, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Ofosu Asamoah, speaking in an interview on Accra-based JoyNews, said that the commission will on August 10, take UTAG back to court to seek compliance, as well as punitive actions against UTAG for defying a court order.
He said they will also be citing them for contempt for disobeying the court order.
“If the court has spoken and the party decides to defy the orders of the court, the best thing is to take the person to court. We are going to seek compliance and punitive actions for defying a court order.
“We will be citing them for contempt, so if the court finds them guilty of contempt, then the court will apply the sanctions it wants,” he said.
Read also:
Labour Commission secures injunction against UTAG’s strike
Labour Commission directs UTAG to call off strike
UTAG declares nationwide strike beginning Monday
UTAG meets
Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of UTAG has noted that they will be meeting on Monday, August 9, to take a decision on its ongoing strike at 2pm.
According to the President of UTAG, Professor Charles Marfo, the decision to be taken on the strike will be informed by their lawyers' advise.
“The NEC will meet Monday, and then with our lawyers advising us we would know what to do. Today’s meeting is expected to take place at about 2p.m.,” he said.
Background
The NLC on August 2, 2021, invited members of the UTAG and the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) to appear before it on Thursday, August 5, 2021 for the hearing of their matters in dispute with government.
With its intervention, the commission directed the two associations to call off their separate indefinite strikes which started last Monday.
UTAG, before the Thursday meeting with the NLC, met government on the issue. The meeting, however, ended in a stalemate as there was no resolution.
