The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) has asked the government to pay the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) due to its members to avoid turbulence on the labour front.
Despite the insistent appeal to the government to pay the COLA, the union says they are yet to hear any positive news, not even an acknowledgement of their appeals, especially by the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mark D. Korankye, the group said members are left with no choice but to take drastic measures to have their concerns resolved.
“We wish to state that members have reached their limit in the face of the excruciating economic conditions in the country and cannot wait any longer. Failure to respond positively to this call, the country’s educational sector stands to suffer, and that will have a damning effect on the final years of the Senior High Schools in their preparations towards final examinations,” the statement said.
“As leaders of public sector workers, we cannot sit down for our members to be subjected to this treatment of no action from the government to support them through COLA to deal with the worsening economic situation. In view of this, we have resolved that, by the end of this month (June 2020), if no response is heard from the government, members of the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union, TEWU of TUC (GH), will have no other OPTION, than to advise our members to lay down their tools, until COLA hits the account of our cherished members,” the statement noted.
The Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Yaw Baah, addressed the parade and noted that “With the rising cost of living due to high inflation, we would like to appeal to you [President Akufo-Addo] to use your executive powers to grant a cost of living allowance (COLA) of at least 20 per cent to all public service workers.”
It has been a month since the appeal was made, but the government has yet to respond to the demands.
Below is the full statement…
TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKERS UNION, TEWU OF TUC-GHANA, CALLS ON THE GOVERNMENT TO COME CLEAR ON THE PAYMENT OF COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE (COLA), TO CUSHION MEMBERS AGAINST THE EXCRUCIATING ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY
The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union, TEWU of TUC (GH), wishes to send its strongest signal to the government, to immediately pay Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to members without fail. We wish to state that members have reached their limit in the face of the excruciating economic conditions in the country and cannot wait any longer. Failure to respond positively to this call, the country’s educational sector stands to suffer, and that will have a damming effect on the final years of the Senior High Schools in their preparations for final examinations.
The leadership of TEWU of TUC (GH) wants to put it on record that it has made frantic appeals to the government since September 2021, as well as early this year and even before the 2022 May Day national celebrations, that the skyrocketing prices of goods and services, calls for the authorities to pay COLA to workers, to enable them to cope with the challenging economic conditions.
Unfortunately, these appeals have not received any positive response, not even an acknowledgement of the union appeals by the government, especially the sector minister, that is, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations.
Again, at the 2022 National May Day parade, at the Black Star Square, in Accra, the Secretary-General of TUC (GH), Brother Anthony Yaw Baah, reiterated the issue of COLA to the President and his team present, but still, there is DEAFENING silence from the corridors of power.
As leaders of Public Sector workers, we cannot sit down for our members to be subjected to this treatment of no action from the government to support them through COLA to deal with the worsening economic situation. In view of this, we have resolved that, by the end of this month, if no response is heard from the government, members of the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union, TEWU of TUC (GH), will have no other OPTION, then to advice our members to lay down their tools, until COLA hits the account of our cherished members.
The oil that helps the wheel of the economy to rotate is the workers’ sweat, so it is painful, why this treatment to workers by the government, with the complete silence on the various appeals for the authorities to pay workers COLA.
We, therefore, urge the government that the earlier it responds positively to this COLA demand, the better it will be for the country in our education sector.
Please government pay workers COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE (COLA) to prevent any turbulence on the labour front because living conditions are deteriorating by the day.
Issued for and on behalf of the National Leadership
Mark D. Korankye
General Secretary, TEWU of TUC (Ghana)