POTAG leadership shoots down strike call by Kumasi branch

The leadership of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) has described the intended strike declared by the Kumasi chapter of the association as illegal, since the national congress of POTAG has not sanctioned any such action. The Kumasi Polytechnic branch of POTAG has threatened to embark on an industrial action on May 3, 2013 over unresolved conditions of service of its members, but in a sharp rebuttal, the General Secretary of POTAG, Mr. Oswald Atiga, told the Daily Graphic that no such decision was arrived at by POTAG at its congress at the Accra Polytechnic about two weeks ago. “At no point did congress mandate any chapter or the national POTAG to go on strike,” he said. Mr. Atiga, who is a lecturer at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic, said although the Chairman of the Kumasi Polytechnic branch of POTAG, Mr Edmond Peprah, had suggested a strike during the Accra congress, it was rejected by the other nine chapters. Members of the Kumasi chapter of POTAG accused the national leadership of failing to defend the cause of polytechnic teachers but rather appeared to be speaking for the government with regard to negotiations on category two allowances. Mr Atiga said the POTAG leadership strongly and vehemently rejected “this baseless accusation by the Kumasi chairman”. He said contrary to the accusation by the Kumasi chapter, the leadership of POTAG was in touch with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to speed up the convening of a second meeting on category two allowances, adding that the “issue of strike is not on the cards for now”. Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh http://graphic.com.gh/Education/potag-leadership-shoots-down-strike-call-by-kumasi-branch.html