The Senior Staff Association-Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), and Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), have officially declared an indefinite strike action with immediate effect.
A release signed by Mr Isaac Donkoh, the National Chairman of SSA-UoG and copied to the Ghana News Agency, stated that ‘this avoidable decision, unfortunately and regrettably, is occasioned by the government’s persistent disregard for the welfare of universities senior staff, particularly concerning critical issues of pensions and condition of service as contained in the labour act of Ghana.
“At the 17th National Council meeting held on November 25th, 2023, SSA-UoG established with substantial evident value, coupled with utter shock and disappointment, the failure by Government, even upon countless plea to release the Tier-2 Pension contributions to the Board of trustees for effective investment management in accordance with the Pension Act.”
They also called for the immediate reversal of the illegal cancellation of their overtime allowance which contravened the agreed condition of service signed between them and the government as established by law.
The release explained that despite all the case management, their industrial attempts since February 2023 to get Government urgently release the fund and restore the overtime allowance had proven futile.
“This is not the first time such a breach has been committed by the Government with impunity of the highest order.
“Historically, you will recall that the government has in a similar vein failed to pay our pensions contributions on time, between 2010 to 2016 and deliberately avoided paying the mandated three percent penalty on the amount owed and subsequent use simple interest rate as against a compound interest rates, resulting in a significant loss of value of funds to our members,” it said.
The matter is currently under consideration by the National Labour Commission (NLC), highlighting the government’s persistent non-compliance with the Pensions Law (Act 766 Section 64)”.
The release stated that the implication of Government’s action was unacceptably severe, particularly for retirees from 2020 to 2023, who have been denied their rightful lump sums and are currently facing abject poverty and illness in their twilight years, saying their dedicated service rendered to the country deserved better.
It said the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), directed universities management to cut off overtime allowance for weekend and holidays, creating uncertainty and hardship for dedicated staff.
“This unilateral alteration of established condition of service contravenes the Labour Act as established,” it stated.
The release called on the government to urgently pay all outstanding debt/pension contributions together with the appropriate interest from March to December 2023, using the three percent penalty rates as stipulated by the Pensions Act, Act 766 Section 64 which prioritised the recalculation of accrued interest on Tier-2 pensions for 2010-2016, as agreed upon in the Memorandum of Agreement, signed on July 25, 2022.
Government, it said must pay all outstanding arrears to retirees without delay and immediately withdraw the FWSC and GTEC letters, dated November 7 and 20, 2023, which illegally eliminated overtime allowance for senior staff and to maintain the existing Collective Agreement between labour and the government.
“SSA-UoG is left with no choice than to withdraw its services entirely without any exemptions, across all the public universities in Ghana, unfortunately at a time when academic and administrative activities are in full gear,” it stated.
“We regret embarking on this counter-productive path, but Government must take full responsible for any dire consequences, likely to arise from this act.
“But as unfortunate as this may be, we believe it is absolutely necessary and compelling to ensure that, the generic rights and welfare of our members we have sworn an oath to protect and defend are upheld in order to guarantee them respire from their current shackles and psychological trauma that does not in any form or shape assure them longevity of life, it added.
GNA
AT/LKA/AD
19 Jan 2024.
Pics attached
