Some striking teachers have gathered at the National Labour Commission (NLC) in anticipation of a meeting with the government, teacher unions, and the commission about their ongoing strike.
The teachers maintain that their presence is a demonstration of unity with their leaders who are poised to negotiate with the government regarding their service conditions.
A male teacher told Citi News in an interview on Tuesday “We are here to solidarise with our leadership as they go through the negotiations. We have had to do so because over the years the Labour Commission is looking at it as a very fair practice. We have respected that.”
“But then if we keep postponing, we are called today come tomorrow and sometimes the time the invitation comes for us does not auger well for us. So we are waiting for them patiently so that when they come, we will listen to them…If it does not go in our favour then it will heighten the tension which is already on the ground.”
Meanwhile, the three teacher unions are hopeful that their discussions with the government and the National Labour Commission will yield beneficial results.
The strike has had a substantial impact on academic activities across various pre-tertiary schools.
The root cause of the strike is the delay in negotiating the collective agreement and the absence of a proposed functional scheme of service for the teachers.
Following a break among the parties involved, Angel Carbonu, the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), expressed optimism that the results would be in favour of their demands.
“We are still in the process. They (commissioners) are doing their work. Now they are meeting the complainant. After that, they will meet the defendants. So, we are waiting. I am expectant that we get what are demanding…For now, all our concern is we get our demands. I am expectant that we will get it…all my thoughts are that it will go in my favour,” he stated.
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