NLC Declares UTAG Strike Illegal

The National Labour Commission (NLC), on Monday said that the strike action of the University Teacher Association of Ghana (UTAG) was not in conformity with the provisions of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651). The NLC, therefore, declared the strike illegal and directed the UTAG leaders to call off the strike and resume normal duties immediately. The Commission said the action of the leadership of UTAG and the entire membership was not in agreement with Sections 159 and 160 of the Labour Act, which states that; "A party to an industrial dispute who has given notice of intention to resort to a strike or lockout under section 159 may do so only after the expiration of seven days from the date of the notice and not any time before the expiration of that period." It continued that: "If the dispute remains unresolved within seven days from the commencement of the strike or lockout, the dispute shall be settled by compulsory arbitration under section 164." The Commission expressed regret that so far as the declaration of the strike action is not in conformity with the above provisions in the Law, it declares the action of UTAG as illegal. It asked that the executives of UTAG, the Chief Executive of Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, the Executive Secretary of National Council for Tertiary Education and the Chairman of Vice Chancellors of the Universities to meet the NLC on Wednesday October 6, 2010 at 1000 hours. The UTAG led by their executives declared a strike action on Saturday, October 2, 2010.