Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG) has challenged the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to go ahead with its threat to deduct salaries over the ongoing industrial action.
The union warned that any such attempt would be fiercely resisted and met with swift, drastic consequences.
The Director of Communications for PRETAG, Kingsley Ayimadu, stated that the teachers are fully justified in their action and insisted that government intimidation will not force them back into the classroom.
The warning from the FWSC came through its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. George Smith-Graham, who cautioned that striking teachers risk forfeiting their salaries for the period they stay away from work if the strike action continues past the government’s deadline and is determined to be illegal.
Despite the threat, the nationwide strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions—which began on 25 September 2026—remains active. The unions are standing firm over unresolved issues concerning outstanding promotion arrears, proper salary placement, and improved conditions of service.
Speaking on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s news programme, Nyankonton Mu Nsem, Mr Ayimadu explained that the disruption to academic work could easily have been avoided if the state had addressed their grievances earlier.
He expressed disappointment that despite signalling their concerns months in advance, serious official engagement only started after they withdrew their services.
“We will stay out of the classrooms for as long as our demands remain unmet, even if it takes months or a year. Intimidation will not break our resolve. Every time we strike, we are urged to think of the students and return to work, yet our plight is routinely ignored once we comply. We have children in these same schools, so we understand the impact, but an industrial action became our absolute last resort,” he stated.
Addressing the state of negotiations, Mr Ayimadu noted that the initial proposals brought to the bargaining table by the government fell far short of expectation. He indicated that while both sides are currently consulting their respective constituencies before setting a new meeting date, the strike will hold until a fair consensus is reached.
“The laws of Ghana promote dialogue to resolve disputes, but when the government turns a deaf ear, striking remains our lawful leverage to demand what is legitimately owed to us for work already done. The persistent disregard for teachers must end,” he added.
Dismissing the FWSC salary deduction threat as mere political posturing, Mr Ayimadu insisted the membership remains unfazed by the warning.
“The threat to cut our pay is purely for public consumption to create a false impression that authority is in firm control, but it carries no weight with us. We dare them to deduct a single penny and see how we respond. We have worked hard and deserve to be paid. Having been ignored after months of patient demands, we exercised our legal right to strike to claim our money. If they decide to dock our salaries for doing so, let them attempt it and see what happens next,” he concluded.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
