When dialogue fails and strikes speak: Is industrial action the only language government understands?

Ghana seems to be cultivating a concerning attitude where workers must threaten to stop working before their complaints are taken seriously. Agreements are negotiated, promises are made, and target dates are set. However, too often, the promised actions never materialize. Patience eventually runs out, trust erodes, and strikes become the final tool for workers to enforce their rights.

This raises a serious question: has industrial action become the sole language successive governments in Ghana comprehend? This is a troubling query, but one that cannot be ignored as mere frustration. The ongoing labor disputes across Ghana’s public sector point to broader issues surrounding accountability, respect for negotiated deals, labor relations, and the reliability of government commitments.

The problem isn't just about workers seeking higher pay or better working conditions. It's about workers repeatedly fighting for entitlements that have already been agreed upon or contractually owed. This distinction is crucial. There's a big difference between asking for new benefits and insisting on the fulfillment of existing obligations.

Recent events in Ghana's education sector demonstrate this issue. On October 1, 2026, the Technical University Teachers' Association of Ghana (TUTAG) launched an indefinite strike due to unresolved concerns about post-retirement payments, implementing the agreed Service Scheme, and the treatment of academic librarians. Lecturers receiving post-retirement contracts hadn't been paid for up to 27 months.

They also expressed concerns about changes to the career paths of Assistant Lecturers and Assistant Research Fellows. These issues raise questions about fairness, administrative responsibility, and respecting contractual duties. How can an institution benefit from an employee's work for over two years without paying the owed remuneration?

What message does this send to younger educators who should dedicate their careers to teaching, research, and national progress? The situation in primary and secondary education is similarly troubling. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) went on strike over delayed promotions, allowances, and unmet conditions of service.

While these unions halted their protests on October 9 after talks with the government, their leaders said negotiations would continue because the unresolved issues remained. These events reveal a pattern: issues pile up, talks move slowly, workers issue ultimatums, strikes follow, and the government escalates its efforts. One can't help but wonder why it takes so long to act before resorting to strikes.

When collective agreements lose their value, collective bargaining, which is crucial in modern labor relations, becomes ineffective. It's about more than just reaching agreements; it's about following through. An agreement that isn't implemented is of little use to the worker who relies on it. According to Social Exchange Theory, employee-employer relationships are based on mutual obligations.

Workers contribute their knowledge, time, skills, and commitment, while employers are expected to provide agreed pay, fair treatment, and a good work environment. When these expectations are consistently broken, the relationship suffers. In the public sector, where governments are expected to enforce labor laws and demonstrate good compliance with employment rules, this is particularly concerning.

If government institutions can't consistently follow their own agreements, how can they demand strict compliance from private businesses? While governments must operate within financial limits, this shouldn't be a continual excuse for delaying implementation of agreements. If a government can't meet an obligation within the agreed time, responsible leadership requires early communication, clear explanations, fair payment plans, and realistic implementation schedules.

The real issue is whether the government is facing financial limits. Every government faces financial limits, but this shouldn't be a permanent reason to delay fulfilling agreed commitments.