Senior Staff strike disrupts academic activities in universities

The indefinite strike by the Senior Staff Association of the University of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of University Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU-TUC) is beginning to take a heavy toll on academic activities.

Some students from the Education Department of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), who visited the KNUST Basic School to observe teaching sessions as part of their teaching practice, were turned away after teachers, many of whom are union members, abandoned their posts.

The affected students, who declined to speak on camera, acknowledged the disruption to their training, noting that observing teaching sessions is a critical component of their professional development.

In an interview with DL News, George Ansong, National Chairman of SSA-UoG, confirmed that members have withdrawn their services.

He stressed that staff will not return to work on the basis of mere assurances, insisting that concrete action must be taken to resolve their grievances.

“What kind of assurance? You are changing my condition of service; we are saying reverse what you have done and we are good to go, so reverse it,” he said.

Mr Ansong further revealed that union executives have begun strict monitoring to ensure full compliance with the strike directive, warning that any member who flouts the directive will face sanctions.

The strike, which commenced on Tuesday, February 3, stems from what the unions describe as a unilateral decision by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to alter previously agreed conditions of service.

The unions are protesting the replacement of overtime allowances with a “call-in allowance,” a move they say violates a 2021 agreement and undermines the rights and expectations of university staff.

They are also demanding the payment of salary arrears owed to staff of institutions recently upgraded to full university status, as well as five months of outstanding Tier Two pension contributions.

With the strike ongoing, key university departments, including library services, have been severely affected, further compounding the impact on students and academic operations.

STORY BY: SAMUEL OFORI BOATENG

SOURCE: DLNEWSROOM