The Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG) on Tuesday urged its members to remain calm and await governing action towards the payment of the Book and Research Allowances (BRA).

POTAG said it would reverse its decision based on the concrete steps government takes towards their demand.

A statement issued by Mr Ibrahim Adamu, General Secretary of POTAG, in Accra, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the association is considering all necessary legal and statutory channels to ensure that the BRA is maintained, pending negotiations on the entire conditions of services.

It said following government’s non-readiness to pay the BRA for the 2013/2014 academic year, a number of steps were taken by the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Expanded Executive Committee in POTAG’s first letter to Government.

The letter was directed to the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC).

The statement said subsequent reminders were served to the MoE and the FWSC.

It said a follow up news conference was held in Kumasi on April 15, where a statement was issued giving Government up to April 22 April to initiate the process for the payment of the BRA.

“POTAG also served the NLC with a letter dated April 15… stating our intention to embark on possible strike if Government fails to take concrete steps towards the payment of the BRA after the April 22 deadline”, the statement said.

It said: “When all demands were not met, POTAG declared nationwide strike effective May 15.”

At an Emergency Congress in Accra on May 28, members discussed the strike, and having convinced of the appropriateness, defied NLC’s directive to call it off.

The statement said on June 5, the NLC filed a motion on POTAG at the Labour Division of the High Court, Accra, requesting the court to uphold its directive and to compel the Association to call off the strike.

The motion was eventually thrown out on July 14 when a preliminary legal objection was raised by counsel for POTAG.

The Court in its ruling also directed that the matter be resolved through a Compulsory Arbitration and that NLC triggers the process within 10 days.

In a sharp response, the NLC served POTAG with a subpoena on July 14 to attend a hearing on July 16, after attending, NLC postponed the hearing indefinitely.

POTAG filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal for stay of execution of the aspect of the High Court ruling on compulsory arbitration pending the ‘granting of leave’ by the High Court. This was done on the grounds of bias and posture of the NLC’s handling of the matter.

The Court in its ruling also directed that the matter be resolved through a Compulsory Arbitration and that NLC triggers the process within 10 days.

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education on July 22, held a meeting with Executives of POTAG and after discussions on the strike and its related issues, agreed on some proposals that were to be included in a Memorandum of Understanding.

On July 25, the High Court refused to grant POTAG leave to move the Appeal Court for hearing on the matter. POTAG is required to re-file the motion at the Court of Appeal not later than seven days afterwards.

The statement said the NEC is soliciting the support and with the steadfastness of all members, “we can defend our Collective Agreement and Conditions of Services”.