The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAGNational )'s Executive Committee (NEC) has decided to call off the seven-week strike indefinitely.
This conclusion came after the UTAG NEC temporarily stopped the strike action on Monday, February 21 to allow for negotiations until Friday, March 4.
The Committee also permitted the 15 chapters to vote on its decision at an emergency meeting held at the University of Professional Studies in Accra (UPSA).
Despite the fact that the majority (12/3) rejected NEC's decision, it was decided to return to the lecture halls on Friday, March 4 as a consequence of goodwill demonstrated by important players in the negotiation process.
"What we can say is that based on the pleas of these eminent people, as well as the current situation at hand, we have been able to resolve our differences with the employer at the moment, and also based on the assurances of the President of the Republic at the National Labour Conference that he is committed to finding a lasting solution to the problem," National Secretary Dr Asare Asante-Annor said on TV3's News 360 on the day the deadline passed.
As the deadlock has been overcome, UTAG has returned to teaching.
"We hope that the present problems with university professors, such as service issues, will be addressed." This is where we've ended up."
Another emergency discussion on the way forward is alleged to have taken place on Tuesday, March 8.
"At the meeting, the NEC of UTAG received reports from the various branches in reference to the branch meetings held on Friday, March 4th, 2022," according to a joint statement signed by National President Professor Solomon Nunoo and Dr Asante-Annor.
"The reports, on the whole, focused on members' discontent with the mechanisms put in place to satisfy their concerns. In this regard, the UTAG NEC will make every effort to ensure that all member concerns are addressed in any agreement reached between the Employer and UTAG."
The UTAG NEC issued a statement in which it advised members to remain calm and accept the suggestions as interim measures to ensure that they work.
"The UTAG NEC commits to overseeing and policing the full implementation of all agreements with the Employer, as well as working with clear deadlines and roadmaps to guarantee that all pledges and agreements are kept."
'Aggressive' vs. 'Reactive'
It claimed that "reactionary" tactics will be phased out in favor of "proactive" interventions in order to avoid the need for strike action.
"The NEC of UTAG resolved to indefinitely suspend the strike action of the 10th January 2022 after careful consideration of the referenda results, interim agreements negotiated between UTAG and the Employer, and other branch reports."
Members were thanked for their patience, support, and pledge by the Committee.
"We wish everyone well as we return to the lecture halls to teach, and we call on the Employer to show the same good faith by sticking to all agreements to help sustain industrial harmony."
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