CETAG Responds to PRINCOF's Appeal: A Call for Genuine Action, Not Empty Promises

The National Council of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) has responded decisively to the recent appeal by the Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) to reconsider their ongoing strike and resume academic duties. In a detailed letter, CETAG outlined several reasons for rejecting PRINCOF's request, emphasizing their dissatisfaction with past and current actions by the institution.

CETAG first highlighted PRINCOF's role in facilitating the freezing of their members' salaries for participating in legitimate strike actions. This has occurred repeatedly, most notably in November 2018, August 2023, and July 2024, when CETAG members were penalized for advocating improved working conditions. CETAG pointed out that such punitive measures undermine their efforts to secure better conditions of service.

Additionally, CETAG expressed frustration over PRINCOF's inaction regarding the staff audit report published in September 2023. Despite its release, neither PRINCOF nor the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) made significant efforts to implement the report's findings for CETAG members, directly contributing to the strike.

Another key grievance was PRINCOF's role in influencing the employer's refusal to implement the National Labour Commission’s (NLC) Compulsory Arbitration Award for CETAG. The association argued that PRINCOF's actions encouraged the employer to neglect its responsibilities, worsening the ongoing impasse. CETAG also referenced a meeting on June 20, 2024, where the General Secretary of PRINCOF advised GTEC against applying the audit report for CETAG members, asserting that they did not deserve the same conditions of service as university lecturers. CETAG saw this as a deliberate effort to deny them rightful benefits.

CETAG expressed further concerns over PRINCOF’s approach to resolving the dispute, particularly the conditional offer to facilitate payment of the frozen July salaries only for those who return to work. CETAG viewed this as an attempt to coerce their members into resuming duties without addressing the core issues at hand.

CETAG questioned PRINCOF's capacity to intervene on their behalf, given its role in supporting the claim that their strike was illegal. The association argued that if PRINCOF sided with the government and GTEC in declaring the strike illegal, it lacked the standing to advocate for the release of frozen salaries.

CETAG also criticized PRINCOF for consistently siding with the employer during legitimate strike actions. This, they argued, has perpetuated injustice against their members, further damaging PRINCOF's credibility in mediating the current situation.

For these reasons, CETAG stated that it would only consider PRINCOF's appeal if PRINCOF could effectively persuade the employer to implement all outstanding Compulsory Arbitration Awards without further delay. CETAG made it clear that their strike will continue until all their demands, outlined in their strike declaration on June 14, 2024, are met in full.

In conclusion, CETAG’s response to PRINCOF is a call for meaningful action, not symbolic gestures. They demand that PRINCOF focus its efforts on securing the implementation of the unresolved arbitration awards and fulfilling CETAG's demands. CETAG urged its members to remain steadfast, resisting any attempts at intimidation, as they continue their pursuit of economic justice and fairness. The strike will persist until the employer takes concrete steps to address their concerns.