Three Teacher Unions Threaten Strike Over Vehicle Maintenance Allowance
Three teacher unions in various tertiary institutions in Ghana have threatened to strike over vehicle maintenance allowance. This means, teaching and learning in tertiary institutions may face disruptions starting June 21.
This action comes in response to their members being excluded from the recent review of the Teachers Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA) and other related allowances.
The Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC) issued a statement on June 11. They argue that excluding their members from the VMA review is unfair and violates principles of justice.
These unions represent both senior and junior staff in universities. They feel they have been unfairly left out of the VMA review, which only included members of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG). The unions have been pushing for an increase in the VMA for some time and now demand that they be included in the recent changes.
They have given the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission a deadline of June 21, 2024, to address their demands. If the commission does not respond by then, the unions will go on strike.
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The leaders of the three unions are calling on all their members to stand firm and fight for fairness. They believe that fair treatment and equal allowances are necessary for maintaining peace in the workplace and improving the effectiveness of tertiary institutions in Ghana.
In their statement, the unions warned, “The Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Federation of Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of the Trade Union Congress (TEWU-TUC) are notifying the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission of Ghana that if the Commission does not correct the unfair exclusion of our members regarding the Vehicle Maintenance Allowance (VMA) and other related allowances, we will be forced to take action.”