Breaking: Universities’ Senior Staff Association joins COLA strike

Universities’ Senior Staff Association joins COLA strike…

The latest COLA Strike update is not good for the government as the Universities’ Senior Staff Association join the ongoing COLA strike. They are also demanding a 20% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and have declared an indefinite strike

They also want the government to pay their accrued interest on tier two pension arrears from 2016 to 2021.

To date, five labour unions have gone on strike in response to COLA demands. In addition to the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana, the National Chairman of the Association, Isaac Donkoh said that their members should withhold their services until they receive assurances from the government.

READ: Teachers COLA Strike Still On: Let Your Children Stay Home

“Today, the Senior Staff of Public Universities will address you. I want to make this clear to all our workers. With this particular strike, we will not exempt any staff. Teaching staff, you are going home. Principal staff, you are going home. Drivers, you are going home.”

“Yesterday they threatened to freeze our salaries [if we embark on strike] and we will tell them we are capable [of declaring the strike]. We have said if we do not hear anything positive from them, we will lay down our tools. We are demanding 20 percent COLA and nothing else.”

READ: 2022 COLA STRIKE: Teachers proposed 13 Allowances for New Salary Negotiations

The Association has also alleged that the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has threatened to withhold all salaries if the strike occurs. Association members have dared the commission to do likewise, as reported by the media. In addition, several groups, such as the Union of Professional Nurse and Midwives, are requesting the government to pay them the 20% bonus, as well as some public sector workers.