Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Secretary of the University of Ghana chapter of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), says it’s nearly impossible to resolve the ongoing strike without direct involvement from union members.
He notes that the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the leadership of UTAG have always resulted in a stalemate since the leadership has had difficulty agreeing on negotiations during such sessions.
His remarks came after a High Court ordered the two parties to return to the negotiating table for a peaceful resolution to the standoff for the second time.
Prof. Gyampo believes that the best way ahead is to allow striking teachers to participate in leadership roles at every stage of the negotiation process.
The calibre of people UTAG leadership preside over are university lecturers and professors. No decision is taken without the constituents. So whether a promise is made and accepted or not is contingent on the members. It appears many political elites do not get this. There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the full problem that we are grappling with. Now, it is about the members and not the leaders
Prof. Gyampo further made a point that, leaders of UTAG have in some cases been impeached for agreeing to terms unfavorable to members thus, the current leadership is having a tough time dealing with the ongoing situation.
So if you meet the leaders and you talk to them, they are helpless with helping unless they go back to their members to solicit their views. So if there is a promise that is made, you would have to go back to the members, it is what they say that will be carried out. So it is more complicated and complex than we think. So for me, the best approach to handle this is for an effort to be made to reach out to members
Read more on UTAG Strike
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- UTAG Strikes Again After Turning Down Minister For Education’s Offer, Strike Continues
- UTAG Strike: Accra Circuit Court tells NLC and UTAG to Settle Their Case out of court
- UTAG Strike : New Date set After Unproductive Meeting Between Minister of Education and UTAG
- Good News : UTAG to Call Off Strike Soon