The National Executive Council of the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) have declared a nationwide strike across all the public universities in the country with effect from Monday, 19th August, 2013.
This move will surely have serious impact on Universities’ schedule for the 2013/2014 Academic Year since the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) remain on the strike action they started on August 1, 2013.
For the benefit of students who don’t know the difference between FUSSAG and UTAG…FUSSAG is an association of Senior Staff of public universities. Members include Nurses, Biomedical Scientists, Pharmacists, School Teachers (Primary and SHS), Cashiers, and most administrative staff of public universities in Ghana.
UTAG is an association for mainly Lecturers in public universities. Lecturers are Senior Members not Senior Staff. Below is the statement from FUSSAG
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT AN EMERGENCY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITIES SENIOR STAFF ASSOCIATIONS OF GHANA (FUSSAG) OF TUC (GHANA) HELD ON 15TH AUGUST, 2013
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) of Ghana TUC met on 15th August, 2013 to discuss single spine post migration concerns of senior staff of public universities in Ghana. The meeting also deliberated on an earlier press statement issued on 31st July, 2013 and outstanding salary arrears of hospital staff.
The press statement expressed disapproval of the position taken by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to refuse the legitimate demands of senior staff of public universities. The demands were: compensation for excessive exposure of staff to health and occupational hazards, market premium for senior staff, restoration of electricity rebate and restoration of special allowance.
At the end of deliberations, members of NEC resolved to:
-re-affirm the concerns raised in the press statement issued on Wednesday, 31st July, 2013;
-embark on a strike across all the public universities in Ghana with effect from Monday, 19th August, 2013;
-continue the strike action until the concerns are adequately addressed;
-withdraw the services of ALL SENIOR STAFF including nurses, pharmacists, hospital laboratory technologists, school teachers, cashiers and security officers.
The members of NEC urge the Vice Chancellors Ghana (VCG), Government and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to take steps to address the concerns to restore industrial harmony and avoid further disruption of the academic calendar of public universities. The meeting further call on the government as a matter of urgency to settle the outstanding arrears of universities hospital staff.
SGD.
JACOB EMMANUEL ESHUN
(GENERAL SECRETARY)
BABA ATIMBILA
(NATIONAL CHAIRMAN)
