Update On the Suspension of CETAG’s strike Action

The Leadership of The Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana, CETAG has finally issued a missive suspending its industrial strike Action

The letter dated 17th December 2022 reads;

SUSPENSION OF STRIKE ACTION: COLLEGES OF EDUCATION TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF GHANA (CETAG)

Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) leadership suspends the
Association’s over a-month-old strike with immediate effect on the following premise:

1. The Hon. Minister for Education made three passionate appeals to CETAG to suspend our strike action declared on Monday, 14 November 2022 to enable him to intervene to get all outstanding concerns resolved within two weeks after the suspension.
2. Consistent with the Association’s bottom-up approach to decision-making, the leadership of the Association consulted its teeming members on the matter and received a majority endorsement of the rank and file on Wednesday, 14 December 2022 to suspend the strike action, subject to the signing of a communiqué that shall bind the parties to commit to engaging to bring finality to CETAG’s 2021 Conditions of Service and payment of compensation for all-year-round work for the 2021/2022 academic year
3. Upon the signing of the communiqué between the parties on Friday, 16th December 2022, leadership wishes to announce the suspension of our strike action with immediate effect to give the Hon. Minister’s opportunity to fulfill his promise of helping to address all the unresolved issues CETAG had raised within two weeks.
4. Realising the unflinching support of the rank and file of the Association in the trenches during our struggles, Leadership through the National Council NC), National Executive Officers (NEO), National Executive Committee (NEC), Zonal and Local branches or the Association in unison proudly acknowledges the display of gallantry and loyalty to the Former with profound gratitude and we urge them to resume work On Monday, 19th December 2022 on their various campuses.
5. Leadership promise to go to all length so that CETAG will get the best out of the engagement which is going to ensue as we suspend our destiny strike today hoping that the Hon. Minister and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) shall take the necessary steps as promised to bring finality to bear on all the unresolved issues of CETAG, as spelled out in the signed communiqué within the two weeks agreed for hostilities to cease in the 46 public colleges of education.
6. CETAG wishes to thank the Hon. Minister of Educatión, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum for putting his integrity and reputation on the line to intervene to have the outstanding 1ssues resolved within two weeks, and which first meeting is slated for Wednesday, December 21, 2022.

Find attached a copy of the communique for your perusal.

The Communique

At a meeting held between The Government Team represented by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), Ministry for Education (MoE), Principals Conference (PRINCOF) and Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) (hereinafter called The Employer) of the one part and the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana, CETAG (hereinafter called The Union) of the other part, on the 16th of December, 2022, at the Ministry of Education, agreed as follows:

1. The parties having discussed in utmost good faith with each other, hereby agree that the following three (3) outstanding issues are yet to be resolved:
   a. Effective date of Conditions of Service
   b.Vehicle Maintenance Allowance
   c.Security and Sanitation Allowance
   d. Electricity Subsidy
   e. Payment of compensation for AII-Year-Round Work
2. The parties shall engage within two (2) weeks after the suspension of the strike by CETAG and the strike shall be suspended upon signing this agreement

In witness whereof, the Parties engaged in the discussion herein have set their names, hands, and seals to this agreement on the 16th day of December 2022.