A statewide strike has been called by the Tertiary Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-Ghana) in response to the former NPP administration’s decision to stop junior staff members’ automobile maintenance payment.
Charles Arthur, the local chairman of KNUST, claims that the Ghana higher Education Commission (GTEC) has ordered heads of higher institutions to stop providing the allowance, in violation of previous agreements.
As a result, the Union is calling for the aforementioned instruction to be retracted and threatening to stop using its tools if it goes forward.
The provision of car maintenance allowance to junior staff at the tertiary level was agreed upon in August 2024 by TEWU-GHANA, GTEC, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and other stakeholders. Junior employees who use their personal vehicles for official work are supported by the stipend.
However, as part of its austerity measures to lower the public sector salary bill, GTEC recently stated that it will be eliminating the stipend.
Concerns regarding the eligibility of Junior Staff members who receive the payment are also brought up by the order. However, Charles Arthur, the KNUST Chairman of TEWU-GHANA, claims that the Junior Staff’s vehicle maintenance allowance was revoked, which is a violation of the agreement.
“The letter is in bad faith because it is contrary to the directives of the labour commission. The car maintenance allowance is our entitlement” he said.
According to Charles Arthur, the allowance’s removal is unjust and will unfairly impact junior employees who are already dealing with low pay.
“We have about 600 junior staff and only 43 are benefiting….it is our condition of service and we will not allow anybody to take it away” he indicated.
The Union has given the government a two-week ultimatum to pull back its directive, failing which they will withdraw their services. “We have satisfied the requirement to go on strike and if it is not paid this month, we will lay down our tools. We will go on strike” he cautioned.
Source: myjoyonline.com