TEWU's role in education sector commended

Ho (Volta Region) 23 Nov. '98

Even though the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) is an important segment of the education machinery in the country, it appears to have lost its prime place within the education sector to others, Mr Otuo Kofi Yempew, Volta Regional Director of Education has said. He has therefore called on TEWU to project itself in view of the important role its members are playing in the education sector. He was addressing the closing session of a one week intermediate seminar for 30 TEWU members from the Volta, Greater Accra and Eastern Regions at Ho last Friday. The seminar, sponsored by the Netherlands Trades Union Federation (FNV), Education International (EI) and TEWU, was to sharpen trades union skills of the participants. He commended the leadership skills of the union's leaders which have ensured calm within education cycles in the country. Mr Daniel Ayim-Antwi, the general secretary, said the union will not relent in its pursuit for improved conditions for its members and implored them to justify the union's fight through greater efficiency. In a resolution, the participants stated their support for the union's call on the Ghana Education Service to implement its agreement with the union on the restoration and alignment of grades and salaries of personnel of its administrative class and payment of responsibility allowances to them by 30th November 1998 The resolution also called for the merger of TEWU and the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) into one formidable union to enhance unity between the GNAT and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT). It also called on the Civil Servants Association, (CSA), GNAT, the Judicial Service Workers Association (JUSAG), the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) and the Textile and Garment Workers Union (TEGLU) to rescind their decision to form a new labour movement.