The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed the striking senior staff of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to call off their strike action and return to the negotiation table with management.The commission issued the directive at a meeting with the staff and the management of the university to address the rift between the two parties.
Mr Sandy Kumi-Sinatra, Chairman of the Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG, UCC), told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the meeting that the NLC failed to address the substantive issue of conditions of service.
Instead, the Commission raised procedural concerns about the strike action and therefore, asked them to call it off.
He said the Association was waiting for an official order in writing to confer with the national body to decide on the directive.
“In their opinion, we should call off the strike, but we are yet to receive an official ruling to that effect.
“When it comes, we will meet with our national executives to consider whether we will comply or not because right now, this has become a national issue,” he said.
The senior administrative staff of UCC are fighting the university’s management over conditions of service which led to the declaration of the strike action on Thursday, April 13.
The Association said they were not happy about the management’s failure to address a raft of grievances including appointments, promotions, non-payment of negotiated allowances and representation on the University Council since May 2022.
Mr Kumi-Sinatra, denouncing the posturing of the management at a presser on Thursday, April 13, said management had disregarded numerous reminders on their concerns without justification.
He recalled that the NLC and the Ministry of Education intervened last year and asked management to engage the association to address the issues but very little was done.
“Regrettably, the only engagement management of the University has undertaken is to request the SSA-UoG, UCC Local to submit proposals for some of the issues contained in a petition to management and the Council.
“Management has not acknowledged receipt of our correspondence or responded to same since Tuesday, August 09, 2022,” he said.
Mr Kumi-Sinatra, therefore, accused the Management of overstepping its boundaries in the labour laws and appealed to government to intervene.
By Prince Acquah
GNA