University senior staff declare nationwide strike
Senior staff in the various public universities across the country Wednesday (13 July) declared an industrial action.
The group comprises all administrative staff at the various universities in the country.
At a news conference in Accra on Wednesday, leaders of the Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana urged all their members to “go home.”
The association said it is embarking on this action due to the non-payment of outstanding tier 2 interest allowances as well as the 20% cost of living allowance (COLA) of its members.
The senior staff join a tall list of public sector labour unions demanding cost of living allowance (COLA).
Read the statement below:
“Don’t hold government to ransom”
Meanwhile, Yiadom Boakye Amponsah, a labour consultant has called on the workers not to hold the government to ransom as they demand for cost of living allowance (COLA).
Amponsah said: “The president does not hire staff and so if you write to him to provide some payments, then what do you expect of him?”
“In all sincerity COLA is not a part of any contract between employees in the labour sector,” he said. “This is why if you want it then you must negotiate and not hold [the government] to ransom.”
Amponsah wants the government to be strategic in its approach to negotiation with the labour unions.
“I am worried for the government because you have all these labour institutions chasing you for COLA… what then do you do? I believe that the government should be strategic in finding solutions,” he said.
