The Senior Staff Association–Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG), the Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU-TUC), and the Federation of University Senior Staff Associations of Ghana (FUSSAG) have announced an indefinite strike with immediate effect, citing unfair changes to their conditions of service and the government’s failure to settle outstanding financial obligations.
The industrial action seeks to compel the government to pay four years of salary arrears and allowances following the upgrading of the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI), Ghana Institute of Languages (GIL), and Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) into the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC).
The unions are also demanding five months of unpaid Tier Two pension contributions (August–December 2024), along with a 3% penalty for late remittance, in line with National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) regulations.
In a joint statement, SSA-UoG National Chairman George Ansong, FUSSAG General Secretary Jonathan Kabu, and TEWU-TUC National Chairperson Salamatu Mahamah Brimah said the strike was triggered by a unilateral decision by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to alter agreed conditions of service, particularly overtime allowances for senior staff at public universities.
According to the unions, SSA-UoG had signed a 2021 agreement with the FWSC and government recognizing senior staff as eligible for overtime. However, in May 2025, the University of Ghana (UG) suspended overtime payments and replaced them with a “call-in allowance”, citing financial constraints and Audit Service objections.
Despite repeated warnings, the unions said UG ignored the existing agreement, prompting the involvement of the National Labour Commission (NLC). While the FWSC initially acknowledged the overtime agreement during NLC hearings, it later sent a letter instructing UG to stop overtime payments, undermining confidence in the process.
The unions further alleged that the FWSC reversed its stance at subsequent NLC sittings, claiming senior staff no longer qualify for overtime, and also raised concerns over delays caused by FWSC absences at hearings.
Meanwhile, the call-in allowance has been fully implemented at UG, with similar measures adopted at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the University for Development Studies (UDS), which the unions describe as a serious threat to their conditions of service.
While acknowledging the impact of the strike, the unions emphasized it was unavoidable.
“We do not take delight in embarking on industrial action because we know the consequences it has for us and the economy. However, we must be treated with fairness and respect,” the statement said.
