Pre-tertiary unions bare teeth again at government over arrears in pension fund payment

The pre-tertiary teacher unions have given the government three weeks to pay the 12-month arrears on pension and distribute the laptops to teachers without delay.

The unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT).

According to the unions, they will not rescind their decision if members withdraw their services after the 16th of September.

The union leadership also raised issues about non-implementation of their conditions of service.

The General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah Tanko, who spoke on behalf of the others, demanded that “one month after signing of the collective agreement, the Minister for Education would initiate the process of engaging the teacher unions for the commencement of negotiations on deprived area allowance.”.

“Promotion from Deputy Director to Director II and then to Director to be resolved by September 2024.”

“The GES would collaborate with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to ensure that the disparities in the salary levels of Deputy Director and below in the GES are corrected.”

“It would keep the promise made to the NLC, to deliver the TM 1 laptops on the new deadline of August 31, 2024, and to ensure that this time around, every teacher whose money was deducted receives his/her laptop for the sake of peace in the industrial space.”

The pre-tertiary unions were also concerned about delays in the payment of the second-tier pension schemes.

“Twelve months arrears of tier 2 deductions, the activities of the Public Services Commission (PSC) of which we warned GES earlier, owing to the historical antecedent which led to H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directing the PSC, to exclude GES, the GES and the PSC have started again, and the problems are worse than in the past. E.g delays in upgrading, difficulties in re-statement, reduction of rank,” Mr Tanko stated.

He called on the government to act swiftly.

“Given the above, we call on the GES and the Ministry of Education and all the duty bearers to act swiftly to save the precarious and difficult situation currently confronting teachers by the close of Monday, September 16, 2024, if by the close of the said date, we do not receive any favourable response, we shall determine the next line of action,”.