General News of Tuesday, 12 July 2011

Source: GNA

University lecturers give ultimatum

Wa, July 12, GNA - Some members of the University for Development Studies (UDS) branch of the Federation of Universities Senior Staff Association of Ghana (FUSSAG) on Tuesday gave the Fair Wages Salary Commission (FWSC) up to given July 31 to migrate all its members onto the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS).

The members warned the FWSC to avoid its delay tactics and come out with workable timetable for migration of the senior staff of the public university onto the SSSS or be prepared to incur the wrath of its members.

A statement issued and signed by 22 members of FUSSAG in Wa urged the FWSC and the leadership of FUSSAG to come out clear on when the salary arrears accruing from the SSSS would be paid and how it would be paid.

The members reminded all stakeholders involved the implementation of the SSSS that they would resist all attempts or any piece meal approach to the payment of salary arrears.

The statement also reminded the leadership of FUSSAG that members had given them the mandate to work toe and nail and without fear or favour towards the enhancement of their social and economic well being and they must not relent in performing that duty.

It therefore advised leadership of FUSSAG to work for the achievement of the aims, aspirations and interests of its members and not those they met in the air-conditioned halls, negotiation tables and board rooms.

The members said the leadership of FUSSAG and FWSC that they were gradually losing their legitimacy and touch with their constituents.

The statement said migration of the senior staff of the public universities in Ghana onto the SSSS was July 31, 2011 and not any other month.

The FUSSAG said despite feet dragging from the implementers of the SSSS, its members had remained committed towards providing middle level manpower services necessary for training the requisite personnel to meet the needs of both public and private sectors of the country.

The statement said it appeared that the goodwill, commitment and desire of the senior staff of the public universities to dialogue and negotiate had been misread, misinterpreted and ultimately the senior staff taken for granted by the FWSC. The members said the senior staff of public universities constituted the most over-worked, under resourced, relatively less paid and never motivated and non-remunerated working class within the public universities of the country.