The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) has described the indefinite strike embarked on by 3-Teacher Unions, in the country as “a show of bad faith.”

This comes after the decision by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) to embark on an indefinite strike “without serving the required notice to embark on a strike contrary to the relevant provisions of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) and the Rules of Engagement signed with the Unions,” the FWSC asserts.

The Teacher unions are concerned about the delay in negotiations of their Conditions of Service, hence embarked on an indefinite strike effective Wednesday, 20 March 2024.

But responding to the action by the 3 Teacher Unions, the FWSC in a statement clarified that “there has not been any delay in the negotiations.”

According to the FWSC, at a meeting held with the Teacher Unions, 20 January 2024, the Government Team was able to reach an agreement with the Teacher Unions on “10 out of the 16 items submitted for negotiation.” 

“FWSC indicated that there was the need to secure further mandate from the Ministry of Finance on the outstanding items in order to conclude negotiations with the Teacher Unions, to which they agreed.”

It revealed that it subsequently extended an invitation to the Teacher Unions on Tuesday, 19 March 2024 for a meeting on Thursday, 21 March 2024, at 10am to continue and possibly conclude the negotiations.

The statement revealed that the FWSC further went ahead to contact some leaders of the Teacher Union, but there was no "indication, whatsoever, of their intention not to be available for further engagement."

The FWSC therefore appealed to the leadership of the unions to “call off the strike immediately and come back to the negotiating table to continue with the engagement in good faith.”