Gov’t determined to avert strike by teachers

Employment and Labour Relations Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed government is making efforts to avert any strike action by the various teacher associations in the coming days.
The teachers say they will embark on a nationwide strike from the first of March 1, 2016 unless government pays all outstanding allowances and salary arrears.
A meeting between the teachers, the Minister and the Fair Wages and salaries Commission (FWSC) ended inconclusively on Tuesday.
The tripartite meeting has been re-scheduled for Wednesday.
The teacher unions — the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) — want a full payment of all arrears owed them.
However, Haruna Iddrisu said a detailed nationwide validation of payment of claims is being undertaken ahead of Wednesday’s crucial final meeting in a bid to avert the planned strike.
“We are close to a decision of a sort which will guide how we respond to the issues they have put on the table. The outstanding arrears in terms of those who have worked three months, the Auditor General is validating the data and the Ministry of Finance and Controller are processing data that has been validated consistent with our determination of cleaning the payroll and to tighten payroll controls,” the Minister told Joy News.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, George Smith-Graham, has backed claims by the Education Ministry that many of the unpaid teachers were found to have fake certificates.
However, the teachers have dismissed the claim describing it a baseless defamation.
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