The Labour Division of the High Court has for the second time directed the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), to settle the strike impasse out of court.

Both parties are at a deadlock over the five-week strike by UTAG.

The Court had previously on February 3 ordered UTAG and NLC to settle the matter out of court.

The two parties have however failed to do so and were in court again on Thursday, February 10, 2022.

UTAG and NLC have thus been urged to return to the negotiation table, engage and settle the impasse.

The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

The strike action has brought academic work and activities to a halt after several weeks of inactive teaching and learning.

There have been calls by some university students and education Think tanks for universities to close down due to the strike action which they believe will threaten the academic calendar.

UTAG’s demands

UTAG wants the government to reconsider the payment of its annual research allowance to a more realistic allowance “as this is critical to our research output, promotion and ultimately national development.”

They also want the 2013 Interim Market Premium (IMP) of 114% on Basic Salary restored.

The Association had bemoaned the current salary arrangement which has reduced its members’ basic premiums to $997.84 instead of the 2012 conditions of service which put entry level lecturers on a monthly pay of $2,084.42.