UHAS Management and FUSSAG to engage constructively

The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), the local branch of the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG), and Management of the University, need to be constructive in their engagements with each other.

The National Executives of FUSSAG, and Mr Elvis Van- Lare, Volta Regional Secretary the Trades Union Congress (TUC), gave the advice at the joint inauguration of a six- member local executive of FUSSAG, and a three-member executive of its Women’s Wing in Ho.

“The Union needs management to survive, while Management also needs the Union to achieve its goals.”

“Unhealthy friction which has the propensity of retarding progress, should be eschewed on campuses,” Mr Jacob Emmanuel Eshun, General Secretary of FUSSAG said.

Mr Kwesi Hagan is the local Chairman, Prosper M. Sosu, first Vice-Chairman, Comfort Agyare-Kwabi, second Vice-Chairman, Doris M. Adukpo Secretary, Judith A Akuley, Assistant Secretary and Felix Anoma, Trustee.

Comfort Agyare-Kwabi leads the Women’s Wing as Chairman, with Grace Adegbedzi and Charity Osei as Secretary and Organizer respectively.

Mr Eshun urged Management of UHAS and the Union Executives “to bargain in good faith, regarding conditions of service,” without intimidation and arm-twisting.

“I entreat all workers, especially FUSSAG members, to obey all lawful and reasonable orders within the terms of employment,” and to take active interest in the Association’s activities, if the Executives are to be effective and respected by management, he said.

Mr Timbila Baba, National Chairman of the Association, said FUSSAG has been guided by the principle of constructive engagement with managements of the various Universities, even before it was registered as a trades union in 2011.

“FUSSAG has the interest of Management at heart, and goes all out to ensure that corporate goals are achieved.”

Mr Baba urged senior staff of UHAS to be “diligent, and eschew laziness and untenable excuses,” while protecting the property and image of the University as its pioneer workers.

He called for regular interactions among leadership of all unions in the University towards addressing common issues, as well as regular flow of information between the executives and members.

“Strike is the last resort; dialogue is the best way to go, convince management”, he said.

Mr Van-Lare reminded the new executives that trade unionism today was about dialogue and speaking to issues, and not “choo boi!”

He, therefore, urged the executives of FUSSAG to collaborate with management of the University unite and speak with one voice, rather than as individuals.

Mr Van-Lare advised them to be abreast with the University’s establishment Act, ACT 282, its vision and mission, as well as the Labour Act, Act 651, and all relevant laws relevant to their work.

He called for regular interaction between Management and the executives of the Association, and for the mother Union, to facilitate capacity building and training of the youthful and inexperienced executives of the UHAS FUSSAG.

Mr Anthony Asempa, Assistant Registrar, Public Affairs of the University, on behalf of Management, said the inauguration of FUSSAG and others preceding it were indications that the UHAS was taking roots, and pledged Management’s preparedness to assist the new FUSSAG executives to live up to expectation.