3 teacher unions threaten to strike over VMA and other allowances
Three teacher unions have threatened to embark on nationwide strike action on August 9, 2024, should the Ministry of Finance (MoF) refuse to authorize payment of agreed allowances by August 8, 2024.
They are the Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC).
In a letter sighted by Thisterm.com, the unions expressed concerns over the Finance Ministry’s failure to issue a letter to effect payment of the Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA) and other related allowances.
“The Unions have given the government (Ministry) up to the close of work on Thursday 8th August to release the letter. Failure to do so will result in the Unions being forced to take industrial action on the 9th of August, 2024. The SSA-UoG, FUSSAG and TEWU (TUC) are committed to fighting for the rights of its members and will not rest until justice is served.”
The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has done the needful by writing to the Ministry of Finance for payment to be effected. We have tried to engage the Ministry on several occasions to release a letter to that effect so our members could be paid but the Ministry has refused,” the statement said.
They lamented that universities receiving government subventions have been paid, including the arrears, while those institutions directly on the Controller and Accountant General’s payroll have been left out.
The unions unions alleged that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has halted the payment of the new rate by the universities.
“Now the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission is ordering the universities not to pay the new rate until a letter from the Ministry authorizing the payment is released. In that case, even those who are receiving the new rate are going to be denied the new rate while those who are on the Controller payroll still remain where they are.
The Unions believe that the government is using Machiavellian tactics to deny us of an agreement reached with them,” the leadership of the teacher unions said in the statement dated August 5, 2024.
The Unions therefore have given the government (Ministry) up to the close of work on Thursday 8th August to release the letter as failure to do so will result in the Unions being forced to take industrial action on the 9th of August, 2024.
Thee Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC) said they are committed to fighting for the rights of its members and will not rest until justice is served.