A TEWU strike is looming as the Teachers and Educational Workers Union accuses the the government of neglecting non-teaching staff. The union is demanding the immediate signing of conditions of service, inclusion in the professional development allowance, and resolution of outstanding promotion grievances.
General Secretary of TEWU, King James Azortibah, expressed deep frustration over years of delays. He said the conditions of service for non-teaching staff in public universities and technical universities expired in 2018, yet new agreements remain unsigned.
“It will interest you to know that the conditions of service is a document that contains the terms of work, the promotions and the progress, allowances, terminal benefits payments, and the rest,” Azortibah explained. He stressed that while most unions review agreements every two years, TEWU has been left waiting for far longer.
Azortibah recounted that TEWU went on strike in November 2024 but was called back by the Labour Commission, which set January 24, 2025, as the date for new negotiations. However, this date and subsequent dates in March, June, and August were also missed.
The union believes its members are being treated unfairly compared to others in the education sector. “When you come to the public and technical universities, they signed that of UTAG, they signed that of the senior staff, and for us in TEWU they are not signing. We feel this is very, very discriminatory,” Azortibah lamented.
TEWU has also warned that any attempt to intimidate its members will amount to unfair labor practice.
Labour Minister Rashid Pelpuo’s Response
Meanwhile, the Labour Minister Rashid Pelpuo confirmed that the government has taken notice of the union’s demands. He said the finance ministry is working on a comprehensive plan to address grievances from TEWU and other unions threatening strike action.
Pelpuo said, “I made arrangements and had a meeting with the finance minister. He proposed ways to tackle it.”
He emphasized that treating unions individually could create bigger challenges. “Rather than doing so, we thought that we have a comprehensive approach by the Ministry of Finance to their demands,” he explained.
Pelpuo added that he intends to meet TEWU leaders again to assure them of the the government’s commitment.
The TEWU strike could significantly disrupt Ghana’s education sector, where over 45,000 non-teaching staff provide essential services. While the the government insists dialogue is the solution, TEWU has made it clear it will not hesitate to act if its grievances remain unresolved.
