The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has invited teachers unions for a meeting next week aimed at reviewing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
In a letter addressed to both secretary generals of Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), TSC has set 22nd August 2023 as the date for the talks.
“The purpose of this letter is to invite you to a meeting with the Teachers Service Commission scheduled for Tuesday, 22nd August 2023 at 9:00 am. The meeting will take place at he Kenya School of Government (KSG), Lower Kabete, Nairobi,” reads a letter addressed to Mr. Akello Misori, Kuppet secretary general.
The two unions have been pushing for review of the non-monetary CBA they signed in 2021.
They want 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.
“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,” said Knut secretary general Collins Oyuu during launch of 2023-2027 TSC strategic plan.
“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 added.
Knut has been pushing for a 60% salary increment while Kuppet wants 42% salary increment for teachers to be paid starting 1st July.
The reopening of the CBA talks comes at a time the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has gazetted a salary increment of 7% to 10% backdated from 1st July and paid in two phases.
TSC is yet to release the new pay structure to reflect the changes announced by SRC chairperson Lyn Mengich on Wednesday August 9, 2023.
In the August salaries, teachers and civil servants will get a 5% salary increment backdated from 1st July. House allowance will also change.
Knut has rubbished the increment announced by SRC saying its a government way of giving with one hand and taking with another.
If the CBA talks are successful and a deal is reached, teachers will be the biggest winners with an enhanced perk.
This is because the CBA talks are aimed at reviewing both the teachers salaries and allowances backdated from 1st July 2021.
DETAILS OF BASIC SALARY FOR TEACHERS SPREAD IN 2 YEARS
(According to SRC 10% increment)
B5-27,195 to 29,915
C1-33,996 to 37,393
C2-43,694 to 48,064
C3-53,943 to 59,337
C4-65,385 to 71,924
C5-77,840 to 86,624
D1-93,408 to102,749
D2-109,249 to 120,174
D3-125,573 to 138,130
D4-141,891 to 156,080
D5-157,656 to 173,422