A MESSAGE FROM AAMUSTED UTAG PRESIDENT TO MEMBERS

Masco Media Gh Sunday, August 01, 2021

Good afternoon, colleagues.

Permit me to address you this afternoon on the intended strike action by our great union. Members will recall that at our last general meeting on July 24, 2021, we briefed you about the stalled negotiation between government and UTAG, and the necessity for an industrial action to press home our deserving demands. We informed you about the plans of UTAG and the timelines, including the then yet to be held press conference on July 28, 2021, at the university of Ghana, Accra. We have since been communicating with UTAG national executive regarding our intended strike. There have been series of meetings between government and UTAG to resolve the matter so that our intended strike action could be averted. *However, government has not demonstrated strong commitment to our conditions of service, except the usual promises of committees and timelines which have almost always not seen the light of the day.* In fact, throughout Friday, July 30, 2021, and even yesterday (Saturday, July 31, 2021), we have been aware of government’s attempt to avert tomorrow’s industrial action by UTAG.

Given that we have been aware of an ongoing engagement between government and our great union, the executive committee of UTAG-AAMUSTED felt that issuing a communique earlier than today Sunday, August 1, 2021, may have been premature. However, we have not been silent over the issue. We have continuously provided updates to members by way of sharing communications from both government and UTAG national executives in relation to the subject under consideration on our official platforms.

Members of our great union, I wish to report that nothing has changed in respect of our planned industrial action on *Monday, August 2, 2021.* We, the members of UTAG-AAMUSTED, *shall faithfully comply with the directive from the national executive committee (NEC) of UTAG.*

For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state without any equivocation that UTAG-AAMUSTED *shall comply with the directives of NEC of UTAG, and shall accordingly withdraw Teaching and other related services, including examinations, invigilation and supervision.* By this communique, we are reminding all members of UTAG-AAMUSTED to stay away from examination and its related activities on campus until further notice. May I also remind members that heads of academic department (HoDs), examination officers and coordinators, as well as examiners are the principal actors in the planning and conduct of examinations in the university. It thus follows that without these key players, the conduct of any meaningful examination cannot take place in the university.

Finally, and for purposes of emphasis, I would like to strongly appeal to all members to comply with the directive from UTAG national executive committee until further notice.

As we appeal to all members to continue to remain calm as we employ all appropriate means possible to realize our demands, we also wish to remind members that it is either *NOW* or *NEVER!*