Return to work now – NLC orders striking university staff
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed three striking university staff unions to return to work immediately, describing their ongoing industrial action as unlawful.
In a letter dated Tuesday, May 21, 2025, the Commission cited Section 139(1)(d) of Ghana’s Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), ordering 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 halt their strike and comply with legal procedures.
The directive follows a formal notice sent by the unions to the NLC on May 12, indicating their intent to strike over the government’s alleged failure to implement agreed conditions of service. The unions claim that despite signing an agreement with the government on November 12, 2024, critical commitments remain unmet.
The NLC convened a meeting on May 21 to resolve the matter. Representatives from FUSSAG and TUAAG were present, but SSA-UoG did not attend. Also present were officials from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), and the Ministry of Finance.
Despite the meeting and the Commission’s request to suspend the action, the unions issued a joint statement the same day announcing an indefinite strike. The NLC says this defiance constitutes an illegal action under Section 161 of the Labour Act, which bars the Commission from addressing disputes while a party is engaged in an unlawful strike.
“The Commission will not entertain the matter while the illegal action persists,” the letter stated.
The NLC has urged the unions to call off the strike and notify the Commission of their decision before any further steps can be taken. The strike has disrupted administrative and support services at several public universities, raising concerns about its potential impact on academic activities if it continues.
