Call off strike immediately – NLC orders teacher unions

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered three striking teacher unions to call off their industrial action immediately.

According to the Commission, the directive is based on Section 159 of Act 651, as the declaration of the strike was deemed non-compliant with the law.

“In pursuance of Section 133(1) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT are ordered to rescind the decision of the declaration of a nationwide strike made on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and announced on various media networks in the country.”

On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) declared a strike over what they claimed was the government’s negligence in addressing their conditions of service.

The unions highlighted grievances such as ongoing withholding of teachers’ salaries, unilateral changes to timetables without consulting the unions, and delays in the distribution of laptops to teachers.

However, authorities have asked the teachers to rescind their decision, with the NLC being the latest.

Earlier, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) had asked the teachers to call off the industrial action and return to the negotiation table for a conclusive engagement.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the FWSC, Benjamin Arthur, they had secured funds from the Ministry of Finance to facilitate wage negotiations.

Consequently, they wanted the teachers to be assured that their grievances would be addressed.

Below is the full statement from the NLC.