Public universities at risk of shutdown as UTAG strike enters third week

UTAG demands better conditions of service

Your strike is illegal, NLC to UTAG

UTAG nationwide strike enters third week

Public Universities across the country could be shut down after 21-days of non-academic work following the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) strike.

University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) embarked on a strike

Read full articleon January 10, and have been at it till now.

According to UTAG, the strike action is in response to “the worsening Conditions of Service (CoS) of the University Teachers and the failure of the Employer in addressing the plight of UTAG members within the agreed timelines.”

Despite meeting with leadership from UTAG and the National Labour Commission (NLC), UTAG has failed to call off its strike as the NLC described the strike action as illegal.

By statutes, public universities must be closed down after 21 days of non-academic work.

Also, academic work has stalled for barely a month since students reported to their respective campuses across the country.

This is due to the nationwide industrial action by UTAG, which is already biting hard and having a toll on academic calendars and students alike.

Among other things, UTAG wants government to reconsider the payment of its annual research allowance to a more realistic allowance “as this is critical to our research output, promotion and ultimately national development.”

They also want the 2013 Interim Market Premium (IMP) of 114% of Basic Salary restored.

According to UTAG, until their demands for improved conditions of service are met, they cannot call off the strike.