KNUT gives State 7 days to address salary demands

 

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion(right) KNUT chairman Mudzo Nzili(left) the union says Teachers Service Commission scrapped the annual increments for teachers with effect from 1st July 2017 contrary to the existing terms of agreement that grants every teacher a right to annual increment. PHOTO:WILBERFORCE OKWIRI

Teacher have threatened to go on strike if the Government does not address their pay grievances.

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) is protesting against the scrapping of the annual salary increments, a decision they allege was not part of a collective bargaining agreement signed last year.

On promotions, teachers claimed that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) had failed to recognise and compensate them upon their graduation hence denying them proper remuneration.

Knut however acknowledged that the 2013 CBA was implemented on July 1, but it is resisting the implementation of a policy denying them their normal annual salary increment.

Secretary General Wilson Sossion complained that attempts to meet TSC officials to iron out the sticky issues were fruitless. The union therefore sought the help of the Ministry of Labour and gave it seven days to end the stalemate.

"We have reported a dispute under the Labour Relations Act regarding the scrapping of the annual salary increment for teachers governed by the existing Scheme of Service written with effect from 1st July. Again the TSC has failed to recognise teachers who attained higher and relevant academic qualifications from 2014. You have seven days to act," a letter to Labour Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie, copied to her Education counterpart Fred Matiang'i and dated August 24 read.

On March 20, Knut wrote to TSC calling for Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia to convene an emergency meeting to resolve pending issues.

Mr Sossion claimed that neither Ms Macharia nor the TSC chairperson responded to the letter. They were instead referred to junior officers in the commission, which angered Knut.

"Our demand letters to their office (were) on very weighty matters affecting teachers, issues that require the CEO's personal attention hence we demand their attention, not their juniors'," he asserted.

The union also wants delocalisation of head teachers and principals stopped, arguing that such an attempt would destabilise their families and performance, and infringe on other labour-related rights.

Sossion also has directed TSC to post new entrants in the fraternity to their counties of choice.

"We are also warning the TSC to drop any attempts to delocalise out teachers, especially our school heads. We shall resist such moves as we cannot allow separation of families," he fired.

The commission said it would issue a statement in due course.

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