Labor Expert, Austin Gamey
Labour Expert, Austin Gamey, has called on the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to go back to the classroom.
Although he regards the National Labour Commission (NLC) as not proactive, he believes UTAG can still negotiate with the Commission without depriving students of an education temporarily.
“If you ask me, I’ll tell the lecturers to return to the classroom. I’ll always advocate for them to resume work. If they are on strike, the matter might drag on and will end up taking so much time,” he stated.
According to him, it is rather sound for the union to call off their strike and sit at the negotiating table with authorities.
Austin Gamey who is sympathetic to the plight of teachers and students alike shared, “I teach on special invitations, and standing for 3 hours to teach one class is not a small thing to do. They need to be heard. But I also plead on behalf of the students that lecturers should return to the classroom. But going back doesn’t mean they should relax but rather make their case firm.”
The labor consultant advised UTAG to embark on another strike action if the government and Labour Commission fail to address their concerns after returning to the classroom. “If they go back and in the next few days their demands are not met, then there is no going back. But let them go back to the classroom now and work on their demands,” he said on the Happy Morning Show with Samuel Eshun.
UTAG members are on strike because they want the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012.
However, the National Labour Commission has directed UTAG to call off its strike and appear before the Commission on Thursday, August 5, 2021.