By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
Chairman of the Senior Staff Association at the University of Development Studies (UDS), Zakaria Mohammed, has reiterated that the three unions will commence an industrial strike action on August 8, 2024, if the government fails to heed their demands
Three unions which include 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) have threatened to embark on an industrial strike action if government fails to implement the Vehicle Maintenance Allowance.
Speaking in an interview with Kwadwo Safah-Danquah on the Happy Morning Show he explained that the strike is in two folds, one at the national level and the other at the local level.
At the national level, the issue is with the government over their Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA).
He said both academic and non-academic staff are supposed to receive this benefit as part of their conditions of service.
He revealed that in 2022, the VMA was initially approved only for academic staff and after raising concerns, the government extended it to non-academic staff as well.
He noted that, the VMA has been increased from GHC 10.9 to GHC 12.5. Government they said, has paid the academic staff, the non-academic staff have yet to receive it.
According to him when they threatened to strike, the National Labour Commission (NLC) affirmed the non-academic staff’s right to VMA and advised the government to engage them.
He stressed that although an MoU was signed promising immediate payment, it has not yet been made, which they find unfair.
Zakaria Mohammed also mentioned that they spoken with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commissioner, who agreed with their position.
He said they have written to the relevant ministries to ensure payment despite this, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) has not issued a directive to public universities to pay VMA, and no new explanations have been provided.
He said the union has informed GTEC, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Employment, and the government of their intention to strike, yet the issue remains unresolved.
