TEWU gives gov’t one-month ultimatum

The Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), has given the government a one-month ultimatum, to conclude negotiations on salaries and other conditions of service of members, or face their anger.
It warned that if by August, the government has not finalised all negotiations, the union would advise itself.
This, the members said would not be comfortable to the government, and the education sector as well.
Mr Peter Lumor, National Chairman of TEWU, gave the warning when addressing the opening session of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Delegates conference in Sunyani at the weekend.
The two-day conference is on the theme “Quality education: a critical tool for development in Brong-Ahafo region, the role of the education worker.”
Mr Lumor noted that the government and for that matter the Fair Wages and Salary Commission have been unfair to the union with regard to the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure.
He said since the scheme and conditions of service of members expired eight years ago, the government has not taken any proactive step to renew it, indicating the union had resorted to laid down procedures for the issue to be resolved but to no avail.
“If the government is treating doctors special and looking down on our members, then it is looking for trouble,” he warned.
Mr Augustine Kabo, Assistant General Secretary of TEWU, said the union is developing a five-year strategic plan to guide its operations.
He said full finalisation and implementation of the strategic framework would provide a new sense of direction and focus on building a more effective human and financial resource that would be effectively and efficiently utilised for the benefit of members.
Mr Kabo explained that TEWU is now affiliated to global trade unions such as the Education International and Public Services International to facilitate feasible ways of promoting quality education.
Mr Matthew Abeaba Abereriya, Regional Industrial Relations Officer of TEWU, observed that the union would grow if members are united.
He said quality education is not only building more schools and not being able to keep the students in school or putting up new infrastructures and not being able to maintain the existing ones.
Mr Abereriya observed that the non-teaching staff in the educational institutions in the country are over-stretched hence the essence for the government to attend to their needs to ensure quality education.
 
 
credit: GNA