GNAT AND NAGRAT INSENSITIVE TO TEACHERS IN THIS HARD TIMES
NEWS IN: GNAT And NAGRAT Insensitive To Teachers In This Hard Times, Teachers Are Suffering Due To Lack Of Performance From Unions
Every teacher will agree with me that Ghana is no longer a safe haven. Food and fuel prices have soared and cost of living has gone up astronomically. In this hard TIMES, we are expecting the government to cushion us with at least *COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE*. Our unions leaders especially GNAT and NAGRAT had issued threats upon threat to government to go on strike if it refuses to do the needful. I know many teachers are happy about the move and will be glad if the government listen to them. But there’s something that every teacher is failing to see and know and I will show you why GNAT and NAGRAT are insensitive to their members in this hard times.
(a) GNAT and NAGRAT are the two unions that have the most members in teacher unionism in Ghana. In fact the power of the two combined is closed to 260,000 membership.
(b) GNAT and NAGRAT collect the highest monthly dues and mutual fund. GNAT even takes cancer fund in addition.
(c) GNAT and NAGRAT possess the biggest purchasing power. GNAT runs in trillions whereas NAGRAT runs in billions in terms of capital at their disposal.
(d) GNAT has the biggest investment fund in Ghana through the *TEACHERS FUND* and other hosts of asset capital. NAGRAT follows with whopping investment avenues. _The two command such a power that 70% of bank advisory or monthly repayment of controller’s book go to these two unions_.
(e) GNAT and NAGRAT leaders are the most lavished and well catered for executives in Ghana. From driving in plush V8 vehicles to fat taking allowances and per diem. Salaries cannot be mentioned here. In fact, simply, they live very very well.
Now to my reason why I call the two unions insensitive and the kind of lack of solidarity by GNAT and NAGRAT is astonishing.
(a) With all the investment and assets, what prevents GNAT and NAGRAT from giving their members some form of relief in these difficult economic situations in the country.
(b) Teachers have their provident fund locked up with GNAT and NAGRAT. With all these investments and profits, *what prevent them from releasing some percentage of the savings as relief package for their members*.
(c) GNAT and NAGRAT can decide out of solidarity to give 30% of a teacher’s savings as *COST OF LIVING RELIEF*. This is to demonstrate that they share in the pains and sufferings.
(d) If they even think the COST OF LIVING RELIEF is a critical financial decision, they can at least *consider reducing rate on loans to 6-8% annual* for the next six months to create room for some relief.
(e) GNAT and NAGRAT can decide to give interest free waiver to their members just to help them adjust to the current economic situation.
*Now we ask ourselves what will happen if GNAT and NAGRAT fail, as they always do, to get the COLA they are threatening for?*
These two unions continue to be laden of hopelessness for teachers in Ghana. They operate on political wings and once they are powerful themselves, they only think about how their members will know they are working for them. *The bigger picture is that, they don’t care about teachers because if they really care they will first show solidarity and sensitivity by giving some austerity measures as part of their commitment to their members. _As it stands, they have the members and they have the money, they are too powerful and careless about who says what or do what._*
Over to us teachers. Do we really have a choice? It’s always GNAT or NAGRAT but the value is the same and nothing new comes out of them. It’s HOPELESS WITH THE TWO. The insensitivity and the pretentiousness of them is legendary.
I won’t talk much. What is the exit point for us?
*Sir Raymond*
_Teacher Solidarity_
TEACHER UNIONS, ARE THEY REALLY SERVING THEIR PURPOSE?
The various working unions were formed and leaders elected/appointed to be the mouth piece for their members when it comes to salary negotiations and working conditions. The military have achieved this within a short period of time for their members and there’s an evidence to show. I had the opportunity to see the salary of a Security Man(S.H.S leaver) at the Audit Service and he told me the kind of allowances they receive quarterly, I was so shocked that I couldn’t make any movement… Aside their quarterly allowances, their salary is more than a Degree Holder in GES… This shows the effectiveness of their leadership…
However, this can’t be said about teacher unions. It’s as if teacher unions doesn’t exist and teachers are left to their fate… Consider the following and see if we really have leaders;
1. *The Collective Agreement (CA) was signed by the union leaders and the government but 99% of it’s content is not working.*
2. *Deprived Area Allowance stipulated in the CA is not working*…
*Salary Advances stipulated in the CA is still in the darkness*…
3. *Promotions in the service (both junior and senior Promotions) are in limbo.* Promotions in other sectors, ie Military, Immigration, Nursing etc are very flexible and most of them take just two years for subsequent ones… It’s four to five years in GES with a lot of controversies and procedures…
4. *Responsibility Allowance on some ranks is less than GH₵ 50 and being taxed as well because it’s embedded in the Basic Salary.* Allowances should be separated from the Basic Salary so that it’ll not be taxed. This is different in only GES…
5. *Three years now after the introduction of the new curriculum, a single textbook has not been provided by the government*. Teachers have to research on the net for information to go and teach. Meanwhile, no allowance is provided with the expensive data being charged in Ghana. Can you believe that a huge sum of money was used to purchased Free S.H.S T-shirts at the expense of the Basic material, textbooks for Basic Schools?….
All these and many more are happening under the direct watch of our union leaders but they’re doing less/nothing to resolve these challenges…
Union Leaders will go to the negotiation table and the government will deceive them to accept 4% salary increment with the excuse of the economy. They’ll turn round and increase their salaries over 70% within the same economy. What at all was the proposal of our union leaders?.
_Article 71 holders are taking fatty salaries with a lot of juicy allowances._ Meanwhile, teachers take home pay can’t even take them home on the day of salary payment…
*How can one survive on GH₵ 1,500 under this economy? Some teachers pay an average transportation of GH₵ 400 to their work places and also an average rent of GH₵ 350 monthly.* *Electricity and water bills take not less than GH₵ 200.*
_Mr President and Secretary ( GNAT, NAGRAT, CCT etc), what will be left to buy food, clothes and take care of our children?, not to talk of putting up a shelter!_…
Teachers deserve a take home salary, teachers deserve *Transportation, Deprived Area, Clothes, Responsibility, Risk(chalk particles) and Better Responsibility Allowances*…
We urgently need these to survive through this economy in order to have sound mind to deliver our lessons… IT’S NOW❗…
By A Concern Teacher/ Local GNAT Secretary….
Let this reach out to our leaders by sharing… Together and with UNITY, We can…
Manuelnewsgh.net
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