The Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) of TUC (Ghana) has embarked on a legal and justified nationwide strike.
This action follows prolonged government inaction, repeated broken promises, and the failure to sign Conditions of Service (CoS) for our members across key institutions.
Here are details of why TEWU-TUC has taken this stance:
WHY WE ARE ON STRIKE
TEWU of TUC (Ghana) is on strike because:
• “Government continues to delay the signing of Conditions of Service for our members in all Public and Technical Universities, the Non-Teaching Staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Library Authority (GLA), and the Ghana Museums & Monuments Board (GMMB),” stated Mr. King James Azortibah, General Secretary of TEWU.
• “The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and other employers have disregarded clear deadlines set by the National Labour Commission (NLC),” he added.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS & FULL PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE
November 2024
• TEWU began a nationwide strike.
• NLC intervened and directed the Union to suspend the action for negotiations.
December 2024 – January 2025
• TEWU suspended the strike in good faith.
• NLC set a deadline: all negotiations to conclude by end of January 2025.
January – March 2025
• A new government took office and appealed to TEWU for time until March to complete ministerial appointments.
• TEWU, once again, exercised restraint and waited.
April – June 2025
• Despite the completion of appointments, the government failed to initiate any engagement.
• TEWU proactively pushed for negotiations.
July 2025
• FWSC finally engaged TEWU to sign Rules of Engagement, opening the way for CoS negotiations — yet, no progress was made.
27 August 2025
• TEWU lodged a formal complaint with the NLC following fruitless efforts with FWSC, GES, GMMB, and GLA.
5 September 2025
• TEWU issued a formal notice of strike to all relevant employers and copied same to the NLC.
8 September 2025
• NLC wrote to FWSC demanding a response to TEWU’s complaint within 7 days (by 15 September 2025).
• FWSC failed to respond.
19 September 2025
• With no response, TEWU declared an indefinite nationwide strike.
• TEWU also formally informed the NLC.
• A brief meeting with the Minister of Labour, Mr. Rashid Pelpuo, ended in a deadlock. TEWU insisted on a clear mandate for FWSC and the Ministry of Finance to sign off the Conditions of Service.
20 – 30 September 2025
• NLC claims to have written to TEWU, granting parties up to 1st October 2025 to meet. As of today, TEWU has not received any such communication.
UNION’S POSITION
“TEWU has complied with every requirement under the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651),” said Mr. Azortibah.
“Our strike is legal, justified, and binding on all members.”
CONDITIONS FOR SUSPENSION OF STRIKE
The strike will only be suspended when the following are met:
• The Ministry of Finance and relevant employers give FWSC a clear mandate to negotiate and sign all outstanding CoS documents.
• All Conditions of Service are finalised and officially signed by FWSC.
• Government assures TEWU of payment of the revised CPDA to Non-Teaching Staff in GES within September 2025.
“Until these conditions are met, we urge all members:
Stay at home — until further notice.”
ADDITIONAL FACTS ON CONDITIONS OF SERVICE DELAYS
• Public and Technical Universities: CoS expired since 2008. A partial MoU was reached in 2019 (after a 2018 strike), but the full document has never been concluded or signed.
• Non-Teaching Staff of GES: CoS expired in 2022. Teachers had theirs signed in January 2025, and implementation is ongoing.
• Ghana Library Authority (GLA): CoS expired since 2008.
• Ghana Museums & Monuments Board (GMMB): CoS also expired since 2008.
FINAL WORD TO MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC
“This strike is not a political action — it is a response to over a decade of disrespect, delays, and broken promises,” Mr. Azortibah emphasised.
