The Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) says its members will remain on strike until the government provides documented assurances that their demands over remuneration will be addressed.

GAUA National President Rev. Kwaku Karikari Amoah said the union would not call off the industrial action merely because it was invited to the negotiating table.

“We don’t want just an invitation to the table, but in the case we should yield a result,” he said in an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Showon Tuesday (11 August).

He said the union had rejected a letter from the Ministry of Finance because it differed from what GAUA had agreed during negotiations on its remuneration.

According to him, GAUA believes the dispute centres on the treatment of allowances negotiated by the union and the subsequent description of the package as a new market premium.

Rev. Amoah said the union had also asked for the implementation of a 2012 arbitration ruling that provided for a payment equivalent to 114 percent of basic salary.

He argued that the value of the arrangement had significantly declined over time and said GAUA wanted the ruling to be applied while broader remuneration arrangements were reviewed.

“We need a documented proof that our request is accepted,” he said.

Rev. Amoah said an invitation to negotiate would therefore not be sufficient to end the strike.

The administrator said the union would pursue arbitration if an independent review failed to resolve the dispute in its favour.

“Arbitration should be our last stop,” he said.

GAUA members, whose responsibilities include areas such as admissions, procurement, finance, human resources, promotions and appointments, have withdrawn their services as part of the industrial action.

Rev. Amoah acknowledged that the strike could affect students but said the union was exercising its right to industrial action.

He appealed to the government to respond to the union’s concerns to prevent the strike from lasting longer.