NCOPST has disclosed its preparedness to assist private school teachers with collective bargaining issues.
In a communique to Ghanaeducation.org, the council indicated it aims to lead the private school teachers front and to become a vibrant and responsive association that meets the needs of teachers in private schools across the country.
The National Constitution and the Labour Act (Act 651, 2003) guarantee the rights of workers to form or join trade unions and to bargain collectively.
However, some employers resort to several illegal tactics to prevent workers from freely forming or joining trade unions. In some cases, workers who opt to form or join trade unions are victimized by their employers. This quest is in line with the (NCOPST), which seeks to promote the welfare of private school teachers in Ghana.
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Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Ghana is the main umbrella organization for all trade union activities in Ghana. They form part of the National Tripartite Committee, whose mandate is to improve the income levels and productivity of workers in both the public and private sectors of the economy.
It has been evident that colleague teachers in the public sector have been hinged by organized unions such as Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana and other teacher unions to help them enjoy better service conditions in the teaching profession.
In the case of private school teachers, there is no other Association that is vibrant enough to fight for remuneration and other employment-related incentives.
The National Council of Private School Teachers (NCOPST) has over few years, come to salvage private school teachers to enjoy conducive environment and better conditions of service through seminars, sensitization workshops and thorough engagement with stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education (MOE), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ghana Education Service (GES), National Teaching Council (NTC), National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) among other agencies to alleviate the burden that teachers in the private schools have been carrying.
All these efforts are to achieve greater unity and cohesion at the union front during negotiation.
Since TUC has been the official mouthpiece of unionized labour in its dealing with government and with the Employers’ Association, NCOPST is therefore making it a paramount decision to urge all private school teachers across the country to join this call, in order to scavenge for any other incentives due to the private school teacher both in the rural, urban and peri-urban areas of Ghana.
In lieu of this, members (Private School Teachers) are therefore urged to register with NCOPST and become fully paid up member in order to present an enviable membership list as the Council plans to meet the Government for stimulus package for the paid-up registered members.
Teachers can reach NCOPST through the Programme Manager for Central Region on 0247281002