The National Executive Committee of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Wednesday said the body should not be blamed for the fallout in the migration of teachers unto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).
Mr Paul Asamanaba Apanga, National President of GNAT said “it is unthinkable for anyone to suggest that the leadership of teachers unions would deliberately strike a deal that would not be in the interest of its members whom they represent.”
Addressing a press conference in Accra, Mr Apanga said the leadership of GNAT could not be oblivious to the plight of the Ghanaian teacher with regard to salary levels, therefore, it had been working hard to improve remunerations to make the profession attractive for others to enter.
He explained that as demanded under the current law all negotiations concerning personnel emoluments for public sector employees should be done by Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).
“This means that unions are now required to do Centralised Bargaining under the leadership of the Ghana Trades Union Congress,” he added.
He said before the migration was effected, executives of GNAT and National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) with the support of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union had spent
considerable time re-negotiating the grade levels based not only on job content evaluation results, but also job roles.
Mr Apanga said through the exercise they managed to improve upon the grade placements for all teachers, saying the situation would have
been worse if the grade levels were not re-negotiated.
“A Principal Superintendent who was placed on 14H by the Consultant was moved two levels upward to 16H whilst the Director General who was on 24H was also moved to 25H. By these upward movements all other positions benefited,” he said.
Mr Apanga stressed that GNAT and NAGRAT also negotiated for an allowance tagged “Professional Allowance” for teachers as an incentive to retain them in the service.
He said the allowance was paid in relationship with one’s qualification and skills required to perform a particular job.
He explained that GNAT petitioned President Mills to direct the FWSC to grant their demand for teacher retention premium after GNAT had failed in its earlier attempt to convince the FWSC to maintain the Professional Allowance under a different category.
Mr Apanga said it was therefore unfortunate to hear people say that GNAT did nothing when the Professional Allowance was withdrawn under the guise of consolidation.
He said the leadership associated itself with the concerns raised by its members on the migration of Ghana Education Service staff onto
the spine, especially with those who had reductions in their salaries and others who did not receive salaries and even those who were
wrongfully placed.
He advised all GNAT members to exercise patience stating that negotiations had to take place within a legal framework that recognised a bargaining agent who represented the interest of
employees and the employer or Management.
Mr Apanga said such negotiations were preceded by submission of proposals well written with demands and as a responsible organisation,
GNAT in collaboration with NAGRAT had submitted several proposals which included allowance for extra class size beyond the approved levels, restoration of Annual Leave, Research Allowance, Invigilation and Marking of examination scripts to be discussed with the FWSC on April 5.
He said the bargaining capacity of a Trade Union depended on combination of factors which included the cohesiveness and unity, support of the rank and file for the negotiating team, the knowledge, skills and competence of negotiating team as well as the goodwill that the union enjoyed in the country.
“These are things that employers usually consider in giving concessions to unions on negotiating tables. Therefore no matter the
anxiety and desperation of the rank and file, it is important that they should be seen to be giving support to their leaders,” he added.