List of Requirements for the Seven-Day Teacher Strike Notice.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been given a seven-day notice to strike by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
The confirmation of junior secondary school teachers is at the top of the list of six crucial concerns that the unions are requesting be resolved.
Collins Oyuu, the secretary general of KNUT, said, “KNUT and KUPPET have today joined forces to demand the immediate resolution of the following six issues causing unrest among our members.”
The unions contend that the TSC has long ignored a number of issues detailed in the strike notice, which was released on Monday.
The urgent need for junior secondary school teachers’ employment terms and confirmation is one of the main concerns; this issue has been unresolved despite many meetings and assurances.
The need of giving junior secondary school teachers clear employment terms and job security was emphasized by KNUT and KUPPET.
The unions contend that the absence of confirmation has impacted teacher morale, created job uncertainty, and ultimately degraded educational quality.
“The unions demand the immediate confirmation of all current intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms effective July 1, 2024, and the remittance of their full salaries for the month, which are now arrears,” Oyuu stated.
The unions are requesting that teachers’ pay be reviewed and increased to reflect the growing cost of living.
The teaching fraternity is not doing well, as is widely known. A signed Collective Bargaining Agreement that has been filed in the employment and labor relations court is a legal document that we agreed upon last year regarding the amendment of the CBA, which was to be divided into two phases.
Collins Oyuu, the secretary general of KNUT, clarified that phase one was paid in July 2023 and phase two was scheduled to be paid in July 2024.
They contend that the pay rates in place now are inadequate and do not adequately represent the difficulties teachers confront in the actual world.
“The unions are demanding that the Commission immediately declare that, during this fiscal year, 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in their existing work grades would be promoted. Within this fiscal year, these instructors were already interviewed and placed on a shortlist for new grades, according to the unions.
There have been numerous grievances raised regarding the postponement of teacher promotions.
The unions assert that even though many skilled teachers fulfill the requirements for promotion, they have been stuck in the same work groups for years.
Better working conditions in schools, including enough space and supplies for instructors and pupils, are what KNUT and KUPPET are demanding.
They argue that many schools are operating with inadequate infrastructure, which hampers effective teaching and learning.
Unions are advocating for the complete execution of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) that have already been negotiated.
They contend that instructors are frustrated because the TSC has not upheld some of the agreements.
“This has not happened and no single teacher can believe that a signed agreement in the name of a CBA documented in law is not respected that is why my teachers are mad. We have written to TSC because this leads to an industrial action which might not be escaped,” Oyuu told journalists.
Better teacher healthcare benefits are a demand of the unions.
They argue that the current healthcare provisions are insufficient and do not adequately cover the medical needs of teachers and their families.
List of Requirements for the Seven-Day Teacher Strike Notice.
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