NAGRAT threatens strike action

General News of Monday, 21 January 2013

Source: graphic.com.gh

Graduate teachers have given the government up to Friday, January 25, 2013, to resolve all outstanding issues relating to their grievances or face industrial action.

The issues include payment of vehicle maintenance allowance, market premium for teachers under the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP) and annual incremental credits for teachers.

Others are the non-negotiation of categories two and three allowances for teachers and compensation for the supervision and invigilation of the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

According to the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), it had already served notice with the National Labour Commission (NLC), about its intension of going on strike if those issues were not resolved by January 25, 2013.

“It is clear that these problems did not arise yesterday. They have been around for years. In spite of the numerous commitments NAGRAT has demonstrated in pursuit of amicable resolutions, the employer has abundantly exhibited bad faith in the matter,” the General Secretary of NAGRAT, Mr Stanislaus P. Nabome said at a news conference in Accra Thursday.

The disquiet among teachers, he said, had assumed alarming proportions and indicated the readiness of teachers to go the full haul for the resolution of those grievances.

“We call on all heads of institutions as well as directors of education not to stand in the way of teachers who are fighting for their legitimate rights. We have been cheated for far too long and the time to act is now,” he said.