Court declares POTAG strike as legal

An Accra Human Rights Court on Monday ruled that the two months strike action of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) is legal.

POTAG has been on an indefinite strike since May 15, 2014 over outstanding arrears in its book and research allowances.

The National Labour Commission (NLC) went to court to enforce its directive for polytechnic teachers to call off their strike, as well as enforce its ruling in the disparity between Government and POTAG over the scrapping of the research and book allowances.

The NLC had ruled that POTAG return to work while arbitration procedures are initiated to address their concern, but POTAG disregarded the ruling, leading to a court action.

The teachers are protesting the non-payment of their book and research allowance.

Government indicated its intention to scrap the payment of book and research allowance to tertiary institution lecturers last year.

Instead, it announced the setting up of a National Research Fund to support the conduct of research by lecturers.

The teachers have since protested the decision to replace the payment of the allowance.

The Polytechnics shutdown per the Polytechnic Act, which states that a school will be closed after 21 days of continuous strike.