The Volta Regional Secretariat of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of  the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has joined its national leadership to declare a nationwide strike over aggravated and unfair labour discrimination issues.

The membership of the group comprises non-teaching staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the junior staff of Public and Technical Universities as well as staff of Ghana Library Authority (GLA) and Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB).

The group noted that though their services to the educational system was indispensable, members have been sidelined in welfare, benefits and conditions of service, as enshrined in the Labour ACT (ACT 651).

The group said promises made to the group remained highly unresolved, a situation they tout as neglect, discrimination and unfair labour practices frown upon by the 1992 Constitution and the Labour ACT.

A release signed by Mr King James Azortibah, General Secretary of TEWU of TUC and read by Madam Ruth Baidoo, the Regional Industrial Relations Officer of TEWU of TUC, said failure to pay their Continuous Professional Development Allowance (CPDA), weekend and overtime allowances of security and catering personnel, as well as unresolved promotion grievances in the GES and Public and Technical Universities constituted reasons for the industrial action.

The group is therefore demanding the government, through the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to bring finality and sign their conditions of service without any further delays or excuses.

The statement said the action of the group was not intended to punish Ghanaian students or parents but  was fed up with the unjust and unfair system that continued to unleash hardship and undermine the dignity and rights of members.

It called on all and sundry to add their voices for the authorities to address their legitimate grievances.

Meanwhile, Madam Baidoo, told the Ghana News Agency that the discrimination against the group had reached an epoch height and the time to react could not be postponed anymore.

She explained that their members at the University of Health and Allied Sciences have not had their grievances being attended.

She said the GES members continue to suffer injustice without recourse for redress.

She explained that their counterparts on the other hand are enjoying the payment of CPDA, but their members with same degree as the others have not been upgraded, adding that teachers were already enjoying this facility.

“Even if the upgrade was done it takes between four to five years to normalize,” she said.