Labour Minister banks on dialogue to end teachers’ strike, rules out alternative measures

In a recent meeting, Labour Minister Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum expressed optimism that ongoing talks with striking teacher unions would lead to a resolution, eliminating the need for alternative measures to return teachers to the classroom. The assurance came after an emergency session with representatives from three unions on October 9, as negotiations continued over unpaid promotions, service conditions, and other employment issues.

The indefinite strike, initiated on September 25, has caused significant disruption to public pre-tertiary school activities, prompting the government and unions to engage in renewed discussions. During the media briefing following the meeting, Mr. Agyekum described the talks as encouraging and confident that an agreement would be reached by the day's end.

The negotiations centered on three key areas: the Collective Agreement, promotion-related concerns, and the payment of deprived-area allowances. The Minister dismissed suggestions of employing alternative measures to compel teachers to return to work if the talks failed, emphasizing the positive progress made during the engagement and his belief that the dispute could be resolved through dialogue.