A standoff between three university staff unions and the government has intensified as the National Labour Commission (NLC) announced it would not entertain any further negotiations until the unions call off their ongoing strike, which the Commission has deemed illegal.
In a letter dated May 21, 2025, the NLC invoked Section 139(1)(d) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), directing the Senior Staff Association – Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Technical University Administrators Association of Ghana (TUAAG), and the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG) to immediately end their industrial action, which began despite prior warnings.
The unions initiated the strike on May 21, citing the government’s failure to implement key aspects of a November 2024 agreement relating to their conditions of service. However, the NLC maintains that procedural violations have rendered the action unlawful.
While TUAAG and FUSSAG appeared before the Commission on the day of the strike hearing, SSA-UoG failed to attend. Government representatives from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and the Ministry of Finance were present.
Despite being summoned and advised to suspend their action pending resolution, the unions issued a joint press release on May 21, declaring an indefinite nationwide strike, accusing the government of continued breaches.
In response, the NLC invoked Section 161 of the Labour Act, which prohibits mediation or adjudication during illegal strike actions, effectively suspending any further discussions until the unions return to the negotiation table in compliance with the law.
The Commission has urged the unions to formally end their strike and notify the NLC, paving the way for legal arbitration of their grievances.
The impasse threatens to disrupt administrative operations across Ghana’s public universities, raising concerns about the impact on students and academic calendars.
