The National Labour Commission (NLC), has invited the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), to a meeting today, Thursday, over the ongoing strike by the teacher union.

The meeting, according to the Commission, is to settle the dispute between the two parties. It comes on the back of allegations by UTAG that the FWSC had delayed in releasing the report of the Labour Market Survey (LMS).

The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has said it’s hopeful of reaching a consensus with government on resolving the current impasse.

Members of UTAG started a nationwide indefinite strike on Monday January 10, to demand better conditions of service.

Dr. Solomon Nunoo, the National President of UTAG, says, “It is too early to tell that we need to call off the strike at this time. At the NLC, we need to probe into what really the reason is for calling us to come to the table. The NLC’s job is to ensure that strike doesn’t take place at all. If you give them notice and nothing is done, the strike takes place. I have difficulty in understanding the rational behind the move,” he said.

UTAG, in a statement dated January 6, 2022, complained about what it refers to as the lack of trust that has so far characterised its engagements with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of UTAG thus resolved to withdraw teaching and related activities over the failure of the employer to adhere to agreed timelines.

UTAG members on all campuses are to withdraw from teaching and other activities like examinations, invigilation, marking of examination scripts, and the processing of examination results.

The association has been asking the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012.

The 2012 conditions of service pegged the Basic plus Market Premium of a lecturer at $2,084.42.

UTAG has complained that the current arrangement has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84.