The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) says it has endured for too long the unfair treatment and disregard for its members by the government in the signing of their Conditions of Service.

It expressed concern that while the government had honoured the Conditions of Service for some staff within the education sector, including teaching staff, it had been reluctant to sign the Conditions of Service for non-teaching staff.

The Senior Industrial Relations Officer (IRO) of TEWU in the Upper West Region, Samuel K. Berko, made the remark in Wa during a press conference to announce a strike action over the union’s unsigned Conditions of Service.

He indicated that although the union had engaged the current government on their Conditions of Service, the issues affecting their members remained unresolved, and promises made to them had not been fulfilled, necessitating the strike action.

Mr. Berko acknowledged that while the strike action would affect the smooth running of the educational system, it would not be called off until the government addressed their grievances.

Reading a statement by the General Secretary of TEWU, King James Azortibah, the TEWU Regional IRO stressed that every staff member in the educational sector, including TEWU members, was important and should not be taken for granted.

“For years, the non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service, public and technical universities, as well as staff of the Ghana Library Authority and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, have been taken for granted.

"Our contributions to the smooth running of the educational system are indispensable. Yet, we are constantly sidelined when it comes to welfare, benefits, and most importantly, our Conditions of Service, which are rightfully enshrined in the Labour Act, Act 651,” he explained.

The unresolved issues the union mentioned included the delay in signing the Conditions of Service of TEWU of TUC and all junior staff of public and technical universities, non-teaching staff of the GES, staff of the Museums and Monuments Board, and staff of the Ghana Library Authority.

Others were the uncertainty of payment of the Continuous Professional Development and Skills Allowance (CPDA) for non-teaching staff; unpaid weekend and overtime allowances for security and catering personnel in the GES and public and technical universities; and unresolved promotion grievances in the GES for non-teaching staff.

TEWU, therefore, demands that the government resolve all these issues and that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) conclude and sign all Conditions of Service without further delay or excuses.