The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has distanced itself from reports that teachers in the country plan a strike to push for salary increments.
KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu stated that the Union is pushing for a review of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2021-2025.
“I did not give a notice of any strike, I gave a notice to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to convene a meeting with KNUT to look into the clause of review on the CBA 2021-2025,” he said.
Speaking during the KNUT Kisumu branch Annual General Meeting(AGM).the Secretary-General announced that after they issued a 14 days notice to TSC, they received a positive response from the Teachers Service Commission(TSC).
“TSC has written back to us and they are saying they are doing all that is possible to make sure they convene this meeting and address the sticking issues as soon as possible,” he said.
Further, Oyuu assured the Union teachers of a maximum push to address their issues.
Oyuu says the 2021-2025 CBA they signed with TSC was cashless, and there is no need to review it to include the money component.
“There is a clause in the CBA that gives the parties an opportunity to review what they had singed, remember some of our teachers mocked us that we signed a maternity CBA,” he said.
Additionally, he says the two-year caveat by the Salary and Remuneration Commission (SRC) is now over and they are within the law to review what they had signed.
Oyuu stated that they would examine the non-monetary CBA during the review.
To account for the anticipated Housing Levy, KNUT has set terms in the salary review negotiations and will demand a pay increase from affected employees.
The wage increase will protect teachers from the impending 3 per cent deductions.
