Which Part of the Strike Don’t You Understand as Members were still Seen Teaching to complete the Syllabus and PLC
Which Part of the Strike Don’t You Understand as Members were still Seen Teaching to complete the Syllabus and PLC?
It’s Strike Until Union Leaders Call it Off. For Your Good.
Reschedule Negotiation Meeting to Monday 25th March 2024 Teacher Unions to NLC
Watering down the Effectiveness of Teacher Unions’ Strike: A worrying trend
_J.K. Amofah,_
_Treasurer, Nkawkaw Local GNAT_
In the country Ghana where strike actions remain the only legally effective tool for addressing labour concerns, it becomes no news when (a) labour union(s) declare(s) one. Even with that, the magnitude of impact determines whether the concerns would be addressed wholly or partially or ignored.
Strike actions by teacher unions over the past few years lack that total membership support and participation, watering down the impact and raising questions on our seriousness in drumming home our demands.
_*Sources of the water*_
I have identified three major sources of water that quench the total participation of members and the effectiveness of strikes declared by teacher unions in recent times.
_1. The classroom teacher_: Most classroom teachers of late are overly sympathetic. To them, covering the curriculum for the term is much more important than our welfare. We are all witnesses to strike actions those days which (nearly) eats into the internal and external examination periods. This has helped a lot in meeting our demands.
Other teachers also discarded the word *solidarity*, a keyword in labour unionism. They believe that once they are not direct beneficiaries of the strike action, they will go to work.
Ignorance is also killing some teachers. I have had to explain to countless teachers the reasons for the declaration of this strike action while the letters and news of the strike are all over the media: print, electronic and social.
2._The Ghana Education Service_: The GES has over the past few years been releasing letters instructing heads to open the schools and ensure the safety of pupils that go to school. These directives were not coming through during those days because there was total participation by teachers. Learners are only going to school during the strike because they will get teachers in school to teach them.
News monitored this morning from Citi News revealed that most teachers and learners were in school yesterday after the declaration of the strike, paying no heed to their union leaders. These teachers would later, unfortunately, blame the unions for doing “nothing” for the welfare of teachers.
3._The National Labour Commission_: The NLC has developed a penchant for declaring every strike illegal while shirking their responsibilities of resolving labour issues with unions which could avert possible strike actions.
*Conclusion*
I remember the solidarity and total participation of Nurses and Midwives four years ago when they declared the strike over their collective agreement and conditions of service. They remained resolute and unwavering even though some lives were lost. This is what I entreat all teachers to emulate. The leadership of the labour unions are not only pushing for the conclusion of the collective agreement but to see to its implementation to the benefit of all teachers. *All teachers are expected to stay away from school* until we hear from leadership. The worrying trend where our actions water down the effectiveness of the strike action must be reversed. Let’s all get involved to push for our demands to be met.
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