The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) will lead teachers in a nationwide teachers strike starting Monday next week.
Knut had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to convene a meeting to review the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed in 2021.
The teachers’ union wants the teachers’s employer to review the CBA due to financial challenges exacerbated by the increased cost of living.
This came at a time teachers are expecting a payrise in their July payslips. Teachers will get a salary increment of 7% in their July pay according to Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
The National Treasury already released a total of sh. 9.1 billion to TSC that will be used to implement the July payrise plan for over 350,000 teachers and secretariat staff on pnp payroll.
Announcing the salary increment of between 7% to 10% for teachers and civil servants, President William Ruto said this is to cushion public servants from the harsh economic times.
“I know there is a proposal by SRC for the increase of salaries of different cadres of both civil servants and other public servants. So our teachers, policemen, military space, and those working in government, we have agreed that from tomorrow your salaries will be adjusted between 7 and 10 percent,” Ruto said during the launch of the new e-citizen platform at KICC.
However Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu wants a payrise of 60% for teachers saying the enactment of the Finance Act 2023, has pushed up the cost of living hence salaries need to be reviewed further to cushion employees.
The union wants the commission to review the non-monetary CBA to take into account their eroded salaries as a result of the increase in statutory deductions and the introduction of new levies, including the affordable housing tax.
“We congratulate TSC for launching the 2023-2027 strategic plan. The over Sh70 billion to be used by TSC in rolling out the strategic plan is very welcome as it was clearly stated that it will be used in other areas apart from teachers’ salaries,” said Mr Oyuu, adding that Knut was ready to push TSC to the table so that teachers’ salaries are also considered in the strategic plan.
“Earlier, TSC came up with a proposal of Sh2 billion for teachers’ allowances, which is welcome, although the National Treasury reduced it to Sh1 billion. We still want our TSC to sit with us and reopen the way for negotiations,” he said.
Mr Oyuu noted that the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) had prevented Knut from negotiating anything monetary in 2021.
“But now that it has lifted the caveat on negotiations, we are out. We have written a letter to the TSC and I have given them 14 days to bring us to the table so that we can start reviewing the non- monetary CBA that we signed in 2021. We must not forget that the economic situation in this country is so biting that we have to sit again so that there is something on the table for the teachers.”
The union leader said a well-paid teacher is an effective teacher.
“A poorly paid teacher cannot perform. If the government wants performance, we will reopen the negotiations of the salary component that we missed in 2021,” he said.
Kumbe a toothless bull dog has voice to bark!
We bwana Oyuu omera Wacha sarakasi
Kumbe a toothless bull dog has a voice to bark!
We bwana Oyuu omera Wacha sarakasi mazee
Burr kabisa Oyuu
The most incompetent unionist ever, cannot even rescind the delocalization policy and only thinks in tribal cocooned agenda that may assist paralyze the country to have his own Mr. Raila as illegal president of Kenya. Despite seeking KNUT to have my SWAP transfer that worked in favor of his kin; transferred to Kisumu County; his office cannot solve a small puzzle to have the SWAP justly affected. I wish the likes of Mr. Odongo and Mr. Sossion active in the office. Let him address the humiliation of Master and Ph.D. by some TSC officers despite their contribution to brain basket in the world and their effect their proper placement. Succinctly no strike!!!
Chieth min oyuu
I wonder whether the stupid knut officials are aware about thousands of schools that are lacking deputies and senior teachers? Instead there are very many poor teachers who are acting administrators doing donkey work with no remuneration at all,
I wish them well in their hollow strike threat
Oyuu looks like a shakahola victim,why are teachers so mean that they can’t even feed themselves,the government should introduce a countrywide school feeding programme that covers both the learners and the teachers before they die of starvation and malnutrition.
Forget about teachers strikes in your life.No teacher will be seen on streets please.Oyuu signed a 0 CBA. Why then do you need money for teachers today? After all our president has remembered teachers.l pray all teachers we leave Union and get our money to our pockets.
Your on your own Mr Oyuu teachers left you kitambo Sana.
Walimu wako matatani tafuteni side hustles take big loans and finance your side hustles,teach and go home,mambo ya kujipendekeza kwa headteacher na cso ndio udinywe ama upate favors Haina maana,come to school at 8am teach and go home by 3.10pm and improve your economic status.