GAUA cautions against use of court processes to halt strike actions
The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) has expressed concern about the use of court processes by the National Labour Commission (NLC) to end the recent strike action in public universities by the senior and junior staff unions.
It said resorting to litigation as a response, rather than constructive engagement, risked deepening mistrust within the labour environment and might undermine confidence in good-faith negotiations.
GAUA said the strike action emanated from unresolved conditions of service concerns and long-standing labour-related grievances.
Solidarity
“We wish to state, unequivocally, our solidarity with the legitimate concerns that have given rise to this industrial action.
Strike action, though undesirable, remains a lawful and constitutionally protected mechanism within Ghana's labour framework when dialogue and engagement fail to produce meaningful outcomes.”
“While we acknowledge the statutory mandate of the NLC, we respectfully reject the growing tendency to rely primarily on court processes and legal injunctions to compel a return to work without substantively addressing the root causes of the dispute.
Industrial harmony cannot be sustained through judicial directives alone,” a statement jointly signed by the National President of GAUA, Michael Owusu Ansah, and General Secretary, Augustine Amissare, said.
It said a sustainable resolution required transparent dialogue, responsiveness to legitimate demands, and a demonstrable commitment to fairness.
Authorities
“We, therefore, call on the appropriate authorities, including the government of Ghana, to prioritise meaningful engagement with representatives of the striking Unions to resolve the issues that precipitated the strike,” it said.
Furthermore, GAUA reiterated the earlier call by the non-teaching unions for the immediate suspension and comprehensive review of the Retirement Policy introduced by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC).
“Our formal concerns regarding the policy remain unanswered.
The continued silence on this matter is troubling and risks generating additional industrial unrest within the tertiary education sector.”
“We caution that failure to address the retirement policy concerns, alongside the present conditions of service issues, may compound tensions and potentially trigger further industrial actions. Preventive dialogue at this stage is both prudent and necessary,” he said.
The statement expressed its full support and solidarity with the striking unions in their pursuit of fair and just treatment and called for the suspension of legal manoeuvres that sought to disrupt strike action without resolving the substantive issues at stake.
It called for the immediate suspension and review of the GTEC Retirement Policy, pending broad stakeholder consultation and encouraged good-faith negotiations aimed at restoring industrial harmony within Ghana's public universities.
“We remain committed to constructive engagement, institutional stability, and the protection of the rights and welfare of university workers.
Lasting peace in the tertiary education sector can only be achieved through dialogue, equity, and mutual respect.
“We urge the NLC to be proactive in addressing labour disputes to prevent strike actions,” it said.
