GAUA Members Down Tools over Pay Disparities, Nationwide Strike Looms
The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) has directed its members across Ghana's public universities to stay away from work from Monday, August 10, in a nationwide strike over pay disparities. The decision was taken at the Association's National Congress held in Sunyani on Friday.
Disparities in Market Premiums Widen
The Association has described the widening pay disparities between teaching and non-teaching senior members as unacceptable. According to GAUA, all senior members received a harmonised market premium of 114% when the Single Spine Salary Structure was introduced in 2012. However, recent adjustments to market premiums have created significant inequities despite teaching and non-teaching staff operating under the same analogous senior member structure.
Government Agreement Fails to Address Gap
GAUA has expressed concern that the agreement signed with the government in April 2026, which granted non-teaching senior members a 40% increase in consolidated market premium and non-basic allowances, has failed to address the significant gap between teaching and non-teaching senior members. The Association said that teaching senior members now receive an average market premium of about GH¢10,000, compared with approximately GH¢4,718 for non-teaching senior members, a difference of about GH¢5,282.
Petition to National Labour Commission Goes Unanswered
GAUA said it formally petitioned the National Labour Commission (NLC) and other state institutions on July 16, seeking intervention over the issue, but had not received a response. The Association stressed that its action is not directed against teaching senior members but seeks equitable treatment for all senior members based on transparent and consistent principles.
Call for Government Intervention
GAUA has called on the government and other stakeholders to address the disparities and uphold fairness in the remuneration of university staff. The Association said that it supports improvements in the conditions of service for teaching senior members but maintained that such gains should not come at the expense of non-teaching senior members.
What's Next
The nationwide strike is set to begin on Monday, August 10, and will continue until the issues in dispute are satisfactorily resolved. The outcome of the strike will have significant implications for the government, university staff, and students across the country. The strike highlights the need for the government to address the pay disparities and ensure fairness in the remuneration of university staff.
Source: Joy Online
