POTAG, UTAG Strike...Gov't Should Not Have Interfered

Mr Y.B Amponsah, Labour Consultant and Specialist has bemoaned government�s interference in the strike action by the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG). Polytechnic teachers have been on strike for months demanding payment of their Book and Research Allowance. The strike action has disrupted academic activities which forced authorities of the various polytechnics to close down the institutions. POTAG has blamed their prolonged strike on government�s poor management of the issues involved. UTAG also embarked on a strike action about a month ago on the same non-payment of the BRA; stating that it (BRA) is their condition of service and it cannot be scraped for a research fund. Negotiations between the two striking bodies and government have always ended in a deadlock. Analysing the situation on Tuesday�s edition of �Kokrokoo�, Mr YB Amponsah said government should have allowed the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to handle the issue. He stressed that �conditions of service is normally discussed� with the Fair Wages Commission at negotiation table and �not with parliament or cabinet�. �Fair wages have not been able to stamp their authority as far as their duties are concerned� he indicated, and added that �they should not have allowed government to interfere or meddle in the performance of their mandate�. �Government should have left matters in the hands of Fair Wages and if that had been done the issue would have been resolved by now. Labour issues have its own political flavour and so you don�t add partisan politics because every worker has a political affiliation and so if you bring in politics the whole issue takes a different turn� ...If government has a challenge, they should leave the matter in the hands of the National Tripartite Committee and Fair Wages to handle and for politicians to sit back and watch; I believe this issue will be resolved. These are bodies who have handled labour issues for a very long time and they can do the work,� he assured.