The Tertiary Education Workers Union of Ghana (TEWU-Ghana) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the government, threatening a nationwide strike over the withdrawal of the car maintenance allowance for junior staff members.
The allowance, which was introduced to support junior staff who use their personal vehicles for official duties, was agreed upon in August 2024 between TEWU-Ghana, the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, and the Ministry of Finance.
However, GTEC has now directed heads of tertiary institutions to discontinue the payments, citing austerity measures to reduce the public sector wage bill.
The Union has condemned the directive, calling it a breach of contract and an unfair decision that will disproportionately affect low-income junior staff.
Charles Arthur, TEWU-Ghana’s local chairman at KNUST, insists the move is unjust, stating, “The letter is in bad faith because it is contrary to the directives of the labour commission. The car maintenance allowance is our entitlement.”
He further argued that out of 600 junior staff members, only 43 benefit from the allowance, making its removal both unfair and unnecessary.
The directive also raises questions about the eligibility of junior staff members who rely on the allowance to cover transportation costs for official duties.
With tensions rising, TEWU-Ghana has made it clear that if the government does not reverse the decision within two weeks, they will embark on an indefinite strike.
“We have satisfied the requirement to go on strike, and if it is not paid this month, we will lay down our tools. We will go on strike,” Arthur warned.
The looming industrial action could disrupt operations in tertiary institutions across the country, putting additional pressure on the government to address the concerns of the union before the deadline expires.
