The General Secretary of the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA), Charles Jojo Aidoo, has insisted that appeals from the Education Minister will not resolve the ongoing strike by university administrators.
He says the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission must engage the union and conclude negotiations on its conditions of service to bring the industrial action to an end.
“We expect Fair Wages to call us and conclude whatever negotiation they want to do with us,” he said ahead of a meeting with the Education Ministry on Monday, October 12.
He explained that the union expects the meeting with the Minister to focus on efforts to persuade its members to return to work, rather than direct negotiations on their outstanding demands.
“Our expectation from him is to maybe appeal to us to go back to the office, and we’ve consistently told him that we respect him so much, but respect doesn’t put food on our table,” he added.
GAUA declared a strike over the government’s failure to pay negotiated and approved allowances after unsuccessful negotiations.
The industrial action, which is approaching its second month, has disrupted administrative services at public universities as the association pushes for action on outstanding payments and disparities in allowances and other conditions of service.
The meeting with the Education Ministry is expected to explore ways of resolving the dispute, which has disrupted administrative services at public universities.