The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) has rejected claims that differences in Market Premiums between Teaching Senior Members and Non-Teaching Senior Members amount to discrimination, arguing that variations in remuneration do not, in themselves, constitute evidence of unfair treatment.
The union’s position follows the decision by the Ghana Association of University Administrators (GAUA) to reactivate its suspended strike over disparities in Market Premiums and related allowances between Teaching and Non-Teaching Senior Members in Ghana’s public universities.
In a statement dated August 10, 2026, UTAG acknowledged the right of recognised unions to advocate for improved conditions of service but cautioned against reducing a complex remuneration issue to a simple comparison of salaries.
According to UTAG, the mere existence of a pay differential cannot automatically be interpreted as proof that one occupational group is being discriminated against.
UTAG said attempts to portray the differences in Market Premiums as an outright injustice against Non-Teaching Senior Members were misleading because professional groups within universities perform different functions and operate under different occupational conditions.
The association noted that public universities depend on the contributions of a wide range of professionals, including academics, administrators, accountants, auditors, librarians, legal officers and technicians.
While acknowledging that these groups are all essential to the effective functioning of universities, UTAG stressed that their responsibilities, qualifications, recruitment requirements and labour-market conditions are not necessarily the same.
It therefore argued that being classified as a “Senior Member” within the university system should not be interpreted to mean that all employees within that classification belong to the same profession or must necessarily receive identical remuneration.
According to the association, the designation “Senior Member” is an administrative classification that encompasses different occupational categories.
UTAG said any review of remuneration, particularly Market Premiums, must be based on objective and defensible criteria rather than public pressure or industrial agitation.
The association identified several factors that it believes should inform decisions on compensation, including the complexity and nature of the work, qualifications required, scarcity of specialised skills, competitiveness of external labour markets, recruitment difficulties and the need to retain highly skilled personnel.
It argued that these considerations are essential if Ghana’s public universities are to attract and retain professionals whose expertise is critical to maintaining the quality and competitiveness of higher education.
“Fairness does not mean sameness. Equity does not require uniformity,” UTAG said, emphasising that equitable remuneration does not necessarily mean identical remuneration for different professional groups.
The association also addressed references to the 114 per cent harmonised Market Premium structure introduced under the Single Spine Salary Structure in 2012.
UTAG maintained that the historical arrangement should not automatically determine current remuneration policy, arguing that compensation systems must evolve in response to changing economic and labour-market conditions.
According to the union, public universities today face different recruitment, retention and institutional challenges from those that existed when the harmonised structure was established.
It said subsequent changes in labour-market realities and institutional demands could, therefore, justify a reassessment of existing compensation arrangements.
Despite its opposition to what it considers a misleading characterisation of the pay differences, UTAG stressed that it does not oppose improved remuneration for Non-Teaching Senior Members.
The association said it supports fair, transparent and sustainable conditions of service for all employees within Ghana’s public university system.
However, it warned against an approach that seeks to achieve fairness by eliminating what it described as legitimate distinctions between fundamentally different occupational groups.
UTAG said the debate should, therefore, focus on whether the compensation attached to each professional category can be objectively justified, rather than on determining which group is more important to the university system.
To resolve the growing disagreement, UTAG called on the government and relevant institutions to undertake an independent and transparent review of the remuneration architecture applicable to Senior Members in public universities.
The union specifically called on the Government, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC), the Ministry of Education and the National Labour Commission, together with other stakeholders, to participate in the process.
UTAG said such a review should examine qualifications, workloads, responsibilities, promotion structures, labour-market comparators, recruitment and retention challenges, as well as the overall compensation received by different occupational groups.
It argued that a comprehensive assessment based on such evidence would provide a stronger foundation for resolving the dispute than comparisons based solely on individual allowances.
The teachers’ association further expressed concern about what it described as a growing narrative that seeks to pit academics against university administrators.
UTAG warned that inflammatory rhetoric could damage working relationships and undermine industrial harmony within the university community.
It urged all parties to approach the matter with “sobriety, evidence and institutional maturity,” insisting that the dispute should not degenerate into a contest over which category of university employees contributes more to institutional success.
The association maintained that the central issue should be whether the remuneration structure for each occupational category is supported by clear, transparent and defensible criteria.
UTAG reaffirmed its commitment to constructive engagement and responsible union leadership, saying it remains focused on protecting the long-term stability, integrity and quality of Ghana’s public higher education system.
The statement comes as the disagreement over Market Premiums adds to broader concerns about conditions of service within Ghana’s public universities, with the two unions taking different positions on how remuneration disparities should be addressed.
By 1960news.com
