KNUT Threatens Action and Demands Ksh.10.1B Be Reduced From TSC Budget Reinstated.
Following the withdrawal of the controversial Finance Bill 2024–25, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has urged the Kenya Kwanza administration to restore Ksh. 10.1 billion that was cut from the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) budget for the fiscal year 2024–2025.
The KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu signed a statement on behalf of the Union, protesting that the Treasury had reduced its Ksh.357,773,737,118 budget for the period, even though TSC had tried to persuade the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Education and Research as well as the Budget and Appropriations Committee that it should not be cut.
Oyuu claims that the implementation of the second phase of the TSC and KNUT Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will be impacted by the budget cut. The CBA was signed in 2021, examined in 2023, and suitably taken into account when determining the state’s contractual spending for 2021–2025.
“The CBA in question is a legal and binding document which was signed between TSC and KNUT in 2021, and rightly deposited in the Employment and Labour Relations Court — hence, there is no way the National Treasury which is fully aware of the existence and content of the Agreement can backtrack on the CBA by failing to fund adequately TSC to meet it contractual obligations as regards implementing 2021/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement,” Oyuu stated.
The 2021–2025 teachers’ collective bargaining agreement (CBA) should not in any way be conditioned on the Finance Bill or the Appropriations Bill of 2024, since the TSC/KNUT Agreement was negotiated and signed in 2021, reviewed in 2023, and duly taken into account when determining the National Government’s contractual spending for that year. Thus, in order for TSC to fulfill its financial duties, the National Treasury is forced to finance it sufficiently.”
Oyuu further emphasized that the reduction amounts to a breach of the CBA and demanded the national exchequer to restore the monies that had been cut.
“Note that the two parties (TSC and KNUT) have not withdrawn the CBA as it is, so the Agreement must be followed exactly. In light of this, he stated, “The National Government should fulfill its commitment to provide teachers with the second phase salary increase outlined in the revised 2021–2025 CBA.”
“Teachers would not accept anything short of the 2nd phase of the 2.5% to 9% salary increment awarded in 2023 since it would be an act of treachery, breach of contract and a violation of teachers’ labour rights.”
The KNUT Secretary General also issued a warning, stating that if the Union’s requests are not fulfilled, it will take legal action.
“KNUT therefore calls on TSC to use all means within its reach to ensure that the Agreement which is legal and still binding is honoured through compelling the National Assembly to approve TSC’s Shs357,773,737,118 Budget without amendment failure to which the Union will use all legal means within her disposal to ensure full compliance,” he stated.
KNUT Threatens Action and Demands Ksh.10.1B Be Reduced From TSC Budget Reinstated.
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