Court strikes out NLC’s case against UTAG

The Labour Division of the Accra High Court has struck out the application filed by the National Labour Commission against the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG).

This was after lawyers of the NLC announced to the court that the parties have had an agreement on the matter.

The court presided over by Justice Frank Rockson Aboadwe struck the case out as withdrawn.

When the case was called, Yehoda Kotey for the NLC told that court that, “We wish to put on record that we are not party to the agreement between the applicant and respondent in the matter.

“However in the light of the matters that have been agreed on in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding which was signed between them, the applicant (NLC) here is discontinuing the action subject to the respondent’s agreeing to call off the strike and the court further directions,” he informed the Court.

In his response, counsel for UTAG Kwesi Keli Dela-Taa said it was true they have had an agreement.

“It is true that the parties met and we agreed that in the best interest of the country, it will no longer be necessary to find the solution to the impasse in the court.”

The Deputy Minister of employment and labour relations Bright Wireko-Brobbey described the agreement as a win-win situation.

On Wednesday, the lecturers agreed, they will suspend their industrial action if the National Labour Commission withdraws all legal action against them.

UTAG began an indefinite industrial action last Monday over poor conditions of service and the failure of the government to resolve long-standing grievances.

The association has been asking the government to restore the conditions of service agreed upon with the government in 2012.