The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has maintained its stance on ending their ongoing “destiny strike,” emphasizing that full implementation of the National Labour Commission (NLC) Arbitral Award, including immediate bank alerts for outstanding payments, is crucial before a return to work is considered.
In a meeting with government officials on Friday, CETAG reiterated their demands, highlighting specific concerns regarding the delayed payment of the BRA top-up and the categorization of staff eligible for the NLC award.
CETAG expressed disappointment with the government’s delay tactics, particularly regarding the validation process for the All Year Round Work Compensation data.
SEE ALSO: CETAG Strike: Government Promises Solutions, but No Agreement Reached
They argued that the Ministry of Finance’s new directive for GTEC to validate data before payment was unnecessary and further delaying the process.
The government team pledged to resolve the outstanding issues within two weeks, promising the BRA top-up payment in that timeframe.
However, CETAG remains unconvinced, demanding concrete evidence of payment through bank alerts before considering a suspension of the strike.
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Furthermore, CETAG criticized the government’s attempt to reinterpret the NLC Arbitral Award regarding staff categorization, highlighting that the government’s proposed changes would effectively disregard the NLC ruling.
While the government acknowledged CETAG’s points and expressed frustration with GTEC, he maintained that the he would seek clarification from the NLC on the “Deserving Staff” designation.
CETAG’s “destiny strike,” which began on June 14th, has significantly disrupted academic activities in colleges of education.
SEE ALSO: TTAG Engages Minister of Education on CETAG’s Strike, Student Allowances, Infrastructure Deficits, and Upgrade of Colleges of Education
It remains to be seen how the government will address CETAG’s concerns and find a resolution to the ongoing impasse.