GAUA Insists FWSC Must Conclude Allowance Talks to End University Strike
The President of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), Charles Jojo Aidoo, has maintained that appeals from the Minister of Education alone will not end the ongoing strike by university administrators.
He insists that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) must engage the union and conclude negotiations on its conditions of service to resolve the impasse.
“We expect Fair Wages to call us and conclude whatever negotiation they want to do with us,” he said ahead of a meeting with the Education Ministry on Monday, October 12.
Mr Aidoo explained that the union expects the meeting with the Education Minister to focus on appeals for members to resume work rather than direct negotiations on their outstanding demands.
“Our expectation from him is to maybe appeal to us to go back to the office, and we’ve consistently told him that we respect him so much, but respect doesn’t put food on our table,” he added.
GAUA declared the strike following the government’s failure to pay negotiated and approved allowances after earlier negotiations failed to produce a resolution.
The industrial action, which is approaching its second month, has disrupted administrative services at public universities as the association demands payment of outstanding allowances and the resolution of disparities in remuneration and other conditions of service.
The meeting with the Education Ministry is expected to explore possible solutions to the dispute and efforts to restore normal administrative operations at public universities.
By Esther Padmore Amonoo
