Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to Meet Striking Teacher Unions Today

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission will meet GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG today, October 6, to negotiate their expired conditions of service.

By Ferdinand Ellis | EducateGhana.com

Article Information

Fact Check & Editorial Review

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) is scheduled to meet the leadership of the three teacher unions involved in the ongoing nationwide strike today, Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

The meeting is expected to focus on negotiations over the unions’ expired conditions of service, also referred to as their Collective Agreement. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu confirmed the planned engagement on October 5.

The three unions are the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG).

The meeting does not mean that a new Collective Agreement has already been concluded. It marks the beginning or continuation of formal negotiations between the FWSC and the unions.

Key Takeaways

• FWSC is scheduled to meet GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG today, October 6, 2026.
• The main focus is the unions’ expired conditions of service/Collective Agreement.
• Government has expressed the expectation that negotiations could be completed within about one week.
• The teacher unions’ nationwide strike remains in force pending their decision to suspend or end the action.
• Other outstanding issues include promotion-related salary placement and arrears and the proposed 20% Deprived Area Allowance.
• The outcome of today’s engagement could influence the next stage of the ongoing dispute.

In Brief

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission is expected to sit down with Ghana’s three striking teacher unions today to negotiate their expired conditions of service.

The engagement comes as the nationwide industrial action by GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG continues. Government has been calling on the unions to suspend the strike and return to the classroom while the outstanding issues are addressed.

FWSC Meets Teacher Unions Today

The FWSC is expected to meet the leadership of GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG on Tuesday, October 6, as part of efforts to resolve the issues underlying the teachers’ nationwide strike.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu said the FWSC had been given the mandate of the Minister for Finance to engage the unions and work towards an amicable resolution.

He also expressed the government’s expectation that the negotiations would not exceed one week.

➡️ Related: Teacher Strike: FWSC to Begin Collective Agreement Negotiations with Unions on October 6

➡️ Related: Deprived Area Allowance: Committee to Complete Roadmap by December

What Will Be Discussed?

The immediate focus is the renewal of the teacher unions’ expired Collective Agreement or conditions of service.

The issue is one of the major concerns cited by the unions in their decision to embark on industrial action.

The wider dispute also involves the payment of outstanding promotion-related arrears and salary placement for teachers who have been promoted, as well as the implementation of the proposed 20% Deprived Area Allowance for teachers serving in deprived or underserved communities.

➡️ Related: Teacher Promotion Arrears and Salary Placement: What Teachers Need to Know

➡️ Related: 20% Deprived Area Allowance: What the Government Has Announced

Teacher Strike Remains in Force

The meeting comes while GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG remain on nationwide strike.

The unions began the industrial action on September 25, 2026, citing unresolved concerns including promotion arrears, the renewal of their Collective Agreement and the Deprived Area Allowance.

Government has repeatedly appealed to the unions to suspend the strike and return to the classroom while negotiations continue.

However, the commencement of negotiations today should not be interpreted as an automatic suspension of the strike. The unions’ position and any subsequent decision on the industrial action remain important to the outcome of the process.

➡️ Related: Why Ghana’s Teacher Unions Are Still on Strike

➡️ Related: Government Appeals to Striking Teachers to Return to Classrooms

Promotion Arrears Also Remain Part of the Dispute

Alongside the Collective Agreement negotiations, government has been taking steps to address salary placement and arrears owed to teachers who have been promoted.

The Education Ministry has said the Ghana Education Service was required to submit the relevant data to the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department for processing.

Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak recently said the delay in implementing new salary scales and consequential allowances for promoted teachers had partly involved challenges in transferring relevant data from GES to CAGD.

This issue is separate from the formal negotiations on the Collective Agreement, although both matters form part of the broader concerns raised by the teacher unions.

What Happens After Today’s Meeting?

The immediate issue to watch is whether the FWSC and the teacher unions can make substantive progress on the expired conditions of service.

Government has indicated that it expects the negotiations to be completed within approximately one week.

For teachers, the important developments will therefore include:

1. The issues formally placed on the negotiation table.
2. Any areas where government and the unions reach agreement.
3. Outstanding matters that require further negotiation.
4. Whether the unions decide to suspend or continue the strike.
5. Any documented timelines for implementing agreements reached.

The final position should be based on formal communication from the unions and the government rather than assumptions arising from the meeting itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will FWSC meet the teacher unions?

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

Which teacher unions are involved?

The three unions are GNAT, NAGRAT and PRETAG.

What is the main issue for negotiation?

The main issue is the unions’ expired conditions of service, also referred to as their Collective Agreement.

Does today’s meeting mean the teacher strike has ended?

No. The meeting itself does not automatically end the strike. The unions’ decision regarding the industrial action remains a separate matter.

How long is the negotiation expected to take?

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has said government expects the negotiations to be concluded within about one week.

Conclusion

Today’s engagement between the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and Ghana’s striking teacher unions represents another formal stage in efforts to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute.

The immediate focus will be the renewal of the expired Collective Agreement, while promotion-related arrears and salary placement and the proposed Deprived Area Allowance remain important issues in the wider dispute.

For teachers, the key development to watch is not simply the commencement of negotiations but the specific commitments, timelines and documented outcomes that emerge from the process.

EducateGhana.com will continue to monitor the negotiations and report confirmed developments as they emerge.

About the Author

Ferdinand Ellis is an education researcher, curriculum specialist, teacher and education policy analyst. He is the founder of EducateGhana.com, an education intelligence platform focused on Ghana’s education system, teacher development, curriculum, policy and research.

Editorial Note

This report distinguishes between scheduled negotiations, government expectations and confirmed agreements. The FWSC meeting scheduled for October 6 should not be interpreted as evidence that a new Collective Agreement has already been concluded.

Sources: Ghana News Agency, MyJoyOnline, Citi Newsroom and official statements cited above.