The College of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), has directed its members to stay away from work on Thursday, November 2, if outstanding salary arrears due them are not settled by the government by November 1.
It said the salary has been outstanding since October 2016, compelling them to take this action in demand for payment.
It would be recalled that in October 2016, the Finance Ministry through the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department migrated tutors of the thirty-eight public colleges of education onto the colleges of education pay structure.”
This followed the passage of the Colleges of Education ACT 847 in 2012 to upgrade the colleges to tertiary status and subsequent engagement by the National Council for Tertiary Education, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, Ministry of Education, CETAG and other relevant stakeholders.
But the leadership of CETAG says a year after this development, salary arrears which are the difference between the previous salary levels and the new salary levels from the period of January to September 2016 still remain outstanding.
They said “Not even CETAG’s submission of proof of documentary commitment by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission setting January 1, 2016, as the effective implementation date for the migration of the tutors will get the Ministry of Finance to pay the arrears.”
The development, according to the leadership of CETAG, forced them to report the matter to the National Labour Commission for settlement.
The Commission in its ruling asked the Ministry of Finance to liaise with appropriate bodies and make all effort to pay the arrears in two weeks’ time, effective from the day after the ruling.
However, the directive has not been heeded, according to a statement issued and signed by the National President of CETAG, Rev. Nkyi-Asamoah, and the National Secretary, Mr. Prince Obeng-Himah.
They noted that it is on the basis of this that CETAG has asked its members withdraw their services in all the thirty-eight public colleges of education until such a time that the arrears are fully paid.
“By this directive, we entreat all Local branches to wear red bands from Tuesday, 31st October 2017 to Wednesday to be followed by a strike on Thursday, November 2, 2017, if the Ministry of Finance fails to comply with the NLC ruling.”
