The Upper West Regional branch of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) has joined a nationwide indefinite strike to press for improved conditions of service for non-teaching staff in Ghana’s education sector.

Speaking at a press conference in Wa, the union’s Regional Senior Industrial Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel K. Berko, confirmed that members in the region are fully participating in the industrial action, which began on Friday, September 19, 2025.

The strike covers all non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), public and technical universities, the Ghana Library Authority, and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board.

Reading a statement from TEWU’s General Secretary, Berko said non-teaching staff have endured years of neglect despite their vital contributions to the education system.

He accused government of sidelining them in welfare benefits and statutory conditions of service outlined in the Labour Act.

The union is demanding the immediate signing of conditions of service for its members and all junior staff in universities, as well as the inclusion of non-teaching staff of the GES in the payment of the Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA) starting September 2025. TEWU is also calling for the settlement of outstanding weekend and overtime allowances owed to security and catering staff and the resolution of long-standing promotion challenges that have left many non-teaching staff stagnated in their ranks.

Berko noted that while teaching staff have been assured of receiving the CPDA, non-teaching staff remain uncertain, a situation he described as discriminatory. He stressed that the strike is not targeted at students or parents but against what he called an unfair system that undermines the rights and dignity of TEWU members.

He urged government, particularly the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, to act swiftly to address the concerns, warning that the patience of members must not be mistaken for weakness. In the meantime, Berko directed all TEWU members in the region to remain at home until further notice.