Universities’ Senior Staff strike intensifies at KNUST despite court order

The leadership of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana has stepped up monitoring at departments and faculties to ensure its members comply with the ongoing strike.

This comes a day after the National Labour Commission (NLC) obtained an injunction to stop the industrial action by the Association.

The KNUST Basic School which has its teachers as members of the Association remain shut following the strike.

Members of the Association at other departments and faculties were not at the post when leadership of the Association went round on Thursday morning.

Secretary of the KNUST-chapter of the Association, Kwadwo Bediako Baryeh in a Citi TV said they will remain on strike until there is clear communication from their National Executive Council (NEC).

“At the moment we are moving round to check if all our members are abiding by the decision of the NEC, i.e. staying at home and waiting for whatever comes out of the meeting the NEC is having with the government, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and the National Labour Commission”, he said.

He however added that the group is yet to receive any official communication from its leadership on the interlocutory injunction secured by the NLC ordering them to return to work.

“We only heard in the media, but we haven’t received any information from the NEC that they have received an injunction. But whatever decision comes from NEC, we will comply but for now, they are saying we should continually stay at home until we hear from them”, he stated.

The Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana has been on a nationwide strike since January 2, 2021, to demand improved conditions and payment of outstanding Tier-2 contributions of its retired members.

It is also demanding an improved market premium and non-basic allowance as well as the migration of public universities onto the Controller and Accountant General payroll system.

Meanwhile, the Association has threatened to take legal action against the government to demand the payment of Tier-two pension contributions to its members accusing the government of breaching the Pensions Act.