Kumasi, June 14, GNA – The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has resumed normal administrative and academic activities as the University’s Chapter of the Senior Staff Association called off its strike on Monday, June 14.
The Senior Staff had for some three weeks now been on strike to reinforce the Association’s demand for improved conditions of service and payment of outstanding ‘Tier-Two’ contributions of its retired members.
The members had been asking for an improved market premium and non-basic allowances, as well as the migration of public universities onto the Control and Accountant-General’s payroll system.
“We are urging all members to come back to work since all outstanding issues are being dealt with,” Mr George Ansong, the KNUST Chapter President of the Association, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi.
When the GNA visited the KNUST Basic School, academic activities were in full session as the Senior Staff had reported to duty.
Additionally, the University Hospital, Fire Unit, Administration block and other departments and faculties on the campus, which had been deserted by the striking Senior Staff, were back to business.
Members of the parent body, the Senior Staff Association of the Universities of Ghana, had since February, 2021, staged various protests to register their displeasure at what they described as unfavourable policies within the Universities’ system that sought to marginalize them.
They described as unfair the current situation where the members had consistently been denied some privileges such as study leave with pay, and medical care for staff and families.
Mr Ansong hinted that their decision to call off the industrial action was necessitated by a recent stakeholders’ meeting, bringing together the National Executive Committee of the Association, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, National Labour Commission, Vice-Chancellors of the respective universities and other related parties.
“The Senior Staff have agreed in principle to resume work, therefore, it is the duty of members of the Association to abide by the directives issued by the leadership,” he said.
GNA