Teachers declare nationwide strike

Three pre-tertiary education labour unions have declared an industrial strike effective today, Wednesday, March 20, 2024, over what they describe as poor conditions of service. 

The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH). 

The leadership of the unions made this known in a press conference held at the NAGRAT headquarters in Accra. 

The President of GNAT, Reverend Isaac Owusu, who spoke on behalf of the unions explained that the move was a result of the failure of the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to address some pressing issues which were affecting teachers’ ability to effectively deliver on their mandates. 

He said that the government had failed to renegotiate a Collective Agreement which addressed issues such as allowances for teachers in underserved areas, entertainment allowance, and housing/rent allowance, following the expiration of the existing one in 2023. 

He stressed that the document should have been completed on or before February 29, 2024. 

“Thus, the new Collective Agreement stands un-negotiated, and we raised this concern in our letter to the Director General, GES, dated February 29, 2024, and also informed the National Labour Commission (NIC),” Rev. Owusu added. 

He also attributed the strike action to the inability of the GES to institute a functional Scheme of Service for Teachers which takes care of all requirements the teaching profession needs. 

The unions also called on the government and the GES to complete the distribution of laptops to all teachers, avoid the rampant changes of the school calendar without recourse to negotiation with the teacher unions because it was affecting the smoothness of their operations and reverse the blockage of some teachers' salaries by the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) without recourse to laid down procedures. 

“In the light of the above circumstances and given the delays, unfulfilled promises on the part of the Employer and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, (FWSC) and also threats from the rank and file of our members, we the Pre-tertiary Teacher Unions do stand with our members and hereby declare a nationwide industrial action (strike) to press home our demands,” he said.