GNAT rejects 4% salary increase, 65% teachers think unions will fail

GNAT rejects 4% salary increase, but teachers do not trust in the ability of the union and other teacher unions to cause the needed upward increase that will improve the financial reward of teachers.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has rejected the recent 4 percent salary increment for public sector workers.

Several other unions, including the Trades Union Congress (TUC), had earlier rejected same and demanded a review to reflect the growing income gap between Article 71 officeholders and ordinary government workers.

This comes after the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) embarked on a strike on August 2, due to the government’s refusal to take immediate steps in addressing the worsening condition of service of its members.

UTAG is demanding the restoration of a 2012 Single Spine Salary Structure agreement to see entry-level lecturers earn the cedi equivalent of $2,084 monthly.

GNAT rejects 4% salary and teachers trust in unions’ ability

In recent times, teachers of the three major teacher unions have mounted pressure on the unions to push for a review of the 4% base pay rate agreed on with the government.
Others have called for the teacher unions, especially GNAT, to halt the deduction of dues from the salaries of teachers.

In an attempt to measure the level of trust teachers have in their unions to compel the government to review the base pay rate upwards, some 65% of teachers hold the view that the teacher unions cannot succeed as expected of them.

The question put forth was: Do you trust in the ability of teacher unions to get a better base rate for teachers?

A total of 285 persons took part in the 3 days anonymous poll conducted by Ghanaeducation.org.

Out of these 285 respondents, 101 representing 65% indicated the unions can do nothing about it, 41 (26%) believe the unions have what it takes to get the needed result while 14 (9%) were not sure of the capabilities of the unions.

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If the results are anything to go by, one is tempted to ask why teachers are calling on unions to get the government to review the 4% salary increase for public workers when they know very well that the unions do not have the powers needed to cause the government to alter its stands to favour teachers.

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The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has indicated that the government proposed 4% base pay for the year 2021 and 7% for 2022 was accepted due to the conditions outlined by the government, one of which was that there will be public sector retrenchment if the base pay is moved above the agreed percentage.

However, the new move is not expected to yield some positive results per the results of the poll carried out. Teachers should look out for more activities by teacher unions in the coming weeks.