Three unions have threatened to embark on industrial action on August 9, 2024, if the Ministry of Finance fails to authorize payment of agreed allowances by August 8, 2024.
The unions involved 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).
The group has 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 three unions in a statement dated Monday, August 5, said, “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 for 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.”
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 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.”
Click to read the statement by the teacher unions
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