Knut officials, Labour’s CS Mutua tries to stop the impending teachers’ strike.
In an attempt to prevent a potential statewide teachers’ strike due to the non-implementation of their collective bargaining agreement, labor secretary Alfred Mutua met on Tuesday with representatives of the Kenya National Union of Teachers’ National Steering Council.
National Chairman Patrick Munuhe and Secretary General Collins Oyuu led the union’s delegation.
The second phase of the 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which called for a pay increase of 7% to 9%, was one of the major concerns brought up by the union, according to Mutua.
On August 7, Knut and its sister organization, the Kenya organization of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), gave the government seven days to respond to a number of teachers’ complaints. If those concerns are not addressed, the unions will order teachers to go on strike starting on August 26.
The unions released a joint statement saying, “Kuppet and Knut have today joined forces to demand the immediate resolution of six issues causing unrest among our members.”
The unions called for the 2021–2025 CBA to be fully implemented.
In June 2021, the unions and the Teachers Service Commission signed the CBAs, which were later revised in August 2023 by an addition.
TSC was accused by Knut and Kuppet of violating the terms of the agreement by neglecting to execute the Addendum’s second phase, which would have applied to all teachers starting on July 1, 2024, and included basic pay and allowances.
In order to overcome the massive shortfall in junior secondary schools, Kuppet and Knut have further sought the advancement of 130,000 stagnant teachers and the hiring of 20,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
Concerns regarding the teachers’ medical plan, non-remittance of Sacco and loan deductions, and delays in retirement benefit payments were also discussed at the meeting, according to CS Mutua.
“I vowed to work with my Cabinet colleagues and other relevant government bodies to address their concerns and assured the union leaders of my commitment to finding swift resolutions to these issues,” Mutua stated.
According to Mutua, the conference is a reflection of the government’s larger initiatives to protect workers’ interests and maintain friendly workplace relations.
Shadrack Mwadime, the principal secretary for labor, was also present during the conference.
After the government cut the TSC’s recurrent budget by Sh10.2 billion, there have been concerns that teachers may not receive the pay increases outlined in their CBA.
In summary, the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, chaired by Julius Melly, stated in a report that educators have the option to use strikes, disrupt teaching and learning in public schools, and file legal complaints.
The committee said, “Given the current uneasy situation in the country, industrial unrest is something this government may not wish to deal with at this time. Therefore, it is important to ensure that this allocation is provided.”
Mutua announced that he would call a meeting with the Knut delegates in a week to review the situation and carry on the conversation in an effort to keep industrial peace.
Knut officials, Labour’s CS Mutua tries to stop the impending teachers’ strike.
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