Accra, Nov. 22, GNA - The Ghana National Associations of Teachers (GNAT) on Wednesday expressed disappointment with at the Government's decision that seeks to create the impression that the Fair Wages Commission would take over all collective bargaining negotiations. "It is unfortunate that the wrong impression has been created that the Fair Wages Commission is to take over all the negotiations on behalf of Government using the quota for wages and salaries allocated in the Budget for the purpose," GNAT said.

Mr Joseph Kwaku Adjei, President of GNAT, who was addressing a press conference in Accra on salary negotiations between GNAT and Ghana Education Service (GES), said it had nothing against the work of the Commission, which was a long-term one but it could not replace the power of bargaining.

"The Fair Wages Commission cannot replace the power of the bargaining we have because it is a legal document, which under Labour Act 2003 (Act 651), mandates GNAT to negotiate directly with her employer through the GES and not centrally.

He said the press conference had been necessitated by recent developments, which amounted to lack of faith on the part of their employers.

The GNAT President said negotiations were to be concluded in time for the 2007 Budget to take into account the agreed remuneration package.

Mr Adjei said the GES Management Team sought to consult its principals after the sixth meeting of the Joint Negotiation Committee but had not returned to the negotiation table.

It has, therefore, declared a deadlock and referred the matter to the National Labour Commission (NLC) to get the Management Team back to the negotiation table.

"We are accordingly invoking the provisions of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651) sections ... to declare that the parties have failed to settle the issue of salaries for teachers for the year 2007 by negotiation." do anything to undermine the credibility of its Leadership's with its members.

"GNAT has over the 70 years of its existence built a reputation of pragmatic approach to problem solving and we intend to resolve this current problem to the satisfaction of our members. What we demand of our social partners is good faith, commitment and integrity," he said.