SECTION A [60 MARKS]

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IN THIS SECTION

According to a reportage by Citi News on January 12, 2021, The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) declared its intention to embark on a nationwide strike beginning Wednesday, January 13, 2021. This was due to failure of the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to conclude negotiation on their demand for better conditions of service according to TEWU.

In an interview with Citi News, Local Union Chairman at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Charles Arthur said for every public university, the members of TEWU will embark on a strike come Wednesday. We are saying our conditions of service will have to be concluded because, in the conditions of service, we are supposed to be given other allowances which other entities get, but we dont get at the moment, he added.

In an earlier statement, the union said it would advise itself if the Commission failed to immediately conclude negotiation on the new conditions of service for the Unionised Staff of the public universities before the beginning of the academic year, in January 2021, which would come with added responsibility with the intake of the first batch of graduates of the Free Senior High School.

The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) however, suspended its nationwide strike after a meeting with its leadership and government on January 18, 2021. We have come to an agreement with Government on the issues we presented and therefore there is the need to suspend the strike action for now, TEWU said in a press statement.

1. From the actions of TEWU in the passage above, identify and explain the main purpose of Trade Unions. [5 marks]

2. From the case, mention and explain two related objectives of TEWU as a Trade Union. [10 marks]

3. What function of Trade Unions did TEWU perform in the given case? [5 marks]

4. Apart from the function you have identified in question 3, explain with examples the other function of TEWU as a Trade union. [5 marks]

5. Mention and explain two types of strike that best describe TEWUs intended strike action. [10 marks]

6. What level of collective bargaining can best describe TEWUs decision to call off the strike action after its leadership met with government? [3 marks]

7. State and explain two importance of Collective Bargainig to TEWU members. [5 marks]

8. State and explain two importance of Collective Bargainig to TEWUs employer (government). [5 marks]

9. Elaborate the five core steps of Collective Bargaining process. [10 marks]

10. In the event where an issue occurs and has not been captured in the collective bargaining agreement, which committee is set up to look into the issue? [2 marks]