Accra, Aug. 23, GNA - The Standing Negotiating Committee (SNC) of the Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Teachers And Educational Workers' Union TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have taken positive steps to remove hurdles likely to hamper the signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for non-teaching staff within the service.

It would be recalled that delay in the singing of the Union's CBA led to industrial action by the unionists, which affected lectures in the polytechnics, particularly in May-July this year. At the last meeting of the SNC, early this month, it proposed that management computed the amount involved from 1999 to date and seek mandate to pay affected workers, furthermore, seek fresh mandate from the authorities for further negotiation on the End of Service Benefit. A letter circulated to local secretaries and union members within the GES and signed by Mr Dan Ayim Antwi, General Secretary of TEWU, said, it had been agreed that a technical sub-committee should be set up to come out with recommendations on salaries and the provident fund by the SMC. The release said SNC would convene to consider the reports from the various committees.