POTAG to resume strike action

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover The Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG), has declared a strike action effective Monday, May 28, 2012. The association said members shall only return to the classroom when the single spine salary hits member’s accounts. The General Secretary of POTAG, Mr. Oswald Atiga who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic indicated out of the 25 functions performed by lecturers of the country’s Polytechnics, they decided to suspend teaching, project supervision and invigilation of examinations. POTAG has for several months been battling with the Fair Wages Commission and other Stakeholders over their conditions of service. According to POTAG, despite assurances that members of the association will be migrated onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) after several months of delays, they have picked up signals that that the much awaited migration will not even be effected by June hence the resolve to call the strike until such time that the new salaries hit the account of members. Explaining further, the General Secretary said, under the auspices the Conference of Rectors of Polytechnics, all Polytechnic Finance Officers, Payroll officers, the entire Leadership of POTAG, and representatives from FWSC met at EXCELSA HOTEL in Kumasi from April 11 to 13, 2012 to conclude the mapping exercise, a crucial component of the migration process on to the single spine. He said the mapping process was concluded and the data subsequently handed over to the FWSC for further scrutiny on the 14th of April, 2012. According to him, with this over members of POTAG were expectant that they could receive their first Single Spine Salary by the end of April, 2012 but it was explained that May 2012 looked practically feasible, a message which POTAG hesitantly accepted. Mr. Atiga said on May 2, 2012, two weeks after the FWSC had received the data, the Leadership of POTAG made a follow up to the offices of the FWSC. It was there and then that the Leadership was told to provide fresh bio-data of our entire membership across the ten (10) Polytechnics to the Commission by the May 8, 2012 which they duly complied with. He said leadership of POTAG was subsequently surprised to hear a false News report on Joy FM on May 14, 2012 to the effect that the FWSC had received bio-data for only 5 Polytechnic. He said upon a follow-up to the offices of the FWSC again on the same 14th of May, 2012 the FWSC shockingly acknowledged having received the data from all ten (10) Polytechnics. He said subsequently an understanding was reached between POTAG and the Commission that POTAG members would receive their first single spine salary by the end of May 2012 though it would be delayed for 2 or more weeks. This information he added was subsequently communicated to its members. He said leadership of POTAG then followed up to the Ministry of Finance that same day and met with Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, Director of Real Sector Division, who after a few calls re-iterated the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning’s resolve to expedite the payment of the single spine salaries of Polytechnic Teachers by the end of May 2012 but acknowledged it would delay. “This understanding was duly communicated to our membership. Members have remained expectant, knowing a delayed single spine salary for May 2012 was guaranteed.” He said upon a request from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, POTAG gave its consent to the anticipated delay in the payment of May 2012 salary through a letter to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD), dated May 2,3 2012. However, according to Mr. Atiga, information received by POTAG leadership from the Deputy Controller at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department indicate d that the final authorization from the Ministry of Finance had not come meaning the old salaries received by members will still be paid for the month of May 2012. We particularly take exception to this because it contravenes the understanding we had with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP), FWSC and the CAGD”, he said. According to him, the information that old salaries will be paid for the month of May 2012 has caused irreparable anxiety among our members adding that there is a general feeling among our members of a calculated attempt on the part of all these institutions above mentioned to unnecessarily and unduly delay the payment of the new salaries to its members. The General Secretary said based on this, the leadership of POTAG at emergency Congress of POTAG have resolved that members are still waiting for their new salaries for the month of May 2012 even if it will take them 2 to 3 weeks to prepare. Again, it maintained having provided all the necessary for information needed for a successful migration, POTAG is not ready for this cat and mouse game, hence the decision to go on strike adding that members shall only return to the classroom when the single spine salary hits members accounts. -End- May 27, 2012