Teachers call off strike after 15% COLA

Striking teachers have called off their strike action following Organised Labour’s agreement with government on a 15 percent cost of living allowance (COLA).

The teachers at the basic and secondary education level withdrew their services on Monday, July 4 after giving government an end-of-June ultimatum to cushion them with an allowance in the face of economic hardship.

The teachers came under criticism for being insensitive as their action was said to have come at a time government was overwhelmed with the economic conditions, forcing it to request a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

They were asked to imitate the other agitated public sector workers who were still at post despite demands for the 20 percent COLA.

All negotiations to come to a consensus had ended inconclusively as leadership of the striking teacher unions had angrily stormed out of those meetings.

The leaders were accusing government of not tabling any proposals regarding the COLA.

On Thursday, July 14, the striking unions – the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-G) – wrote to government representatives of their deferment of further discussions on the COLA demands to Organised Labour, which was billed to meet them.

After that round of meeting, a 15 percent COLA was agreed to by all parties.

It is effective Friday, July 1.

Following the agreement, it was indicated “that all industrial actions underway and threats of same will be called off immediately and that Labour would return to work forthwith”.

“We hereby direct all our members and wish also to inform them that effective July 14, 2022, we have called off the strike that we embarked upon on the 4th of July,” GNAT’s General Secretary Thomas Musa Tanko addressed journalists.

source: 3news