The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has entreated the University Teachers Association (UTAG) to call off its strike action and return to the negotiation table.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ben Arthur, appealed to the UTAG body to return to work, emphasizing that the only way their grievances can be addressed is through negotiations, "not the strike action".

The problem is due to “lack of engagement, not following due processes, not respecting the rule of law because whatever the grievances are, we would have to engage,” he said.

He was speaking on the back of UTAG’s strike action which took effect from Monday, January 10.

According to UTAG, the strike is occasioned by the government’s failure to address the worsening conditions of service of lecturers.

They requested the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon in 2012 which they said is far better than what pertains currently.

Although the Association has indicated that until their demands are met, they will not return to work, the FWSC insists that UTAG must return to the negotiation table since a strike action is not the way forward.

Mr. Arthur noted that his outfit is open and willing to meet any public sector worker for a discussion as far as terms and conditions of service are concerned.

“I’ll take this opportunity to appeal to our lecturers that for us, there’s a need to engage and when we have grievances let us use the laid down procedures for addressing them and that they should call off the strike,” he said.

“The wage mechanism in Ghana depends largely on collective bargaining mechanisms, so definitely, if there are issues with terms and conditions our approach is that we need to engage on them,” he added.