UTAG’s nationwide strike illegal — Court declares

An Accra High Court (Labour Division) has declared the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) recent nationwide strike illegal.

The court presided over by Justice Frank Abodwe Rockson, ruled that the rules of natural justice were not breached by the National Labour Commission (NLC) when it enforced its directives to UTAG to call off its nationwide strike.

“There was no violation of the rules of natural justice.”

The NLC, in a motion, said that UTAG’s strike was illegal because it did not follow due process and violated the Labour Act.

However, lawyers for UTAG, opposed the application by the NLC on grounds that when the NLC heard about UTAG complaining about certain grievances, it did not give UTAG a hearing, a situation, which UTAG described as violating the rules of natural justice.

However, the court in its ruling, held that all parties (both NLC and UTAG) were given a fair hearing as all parties agreed and held meetings on resolving the issues in the presence of their lawyers.

The NLC dragged UTAG to court over two applications.

First, the NLC filed a motion for the enforcement of it’s directive to the Association to call off its over a month nationwide strike.

The Commission also filed an interim injunction restraining UTAG from continuing the strike.

UTAG on January 10, this year, embarked on industrial strike over “worsening of condition of service.”

The court gave the parties opportunities to settle the matter out of court on two occasions but that failed.