Why KNUT and KUPPET differed on teachers' strike

KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu and KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori on Spice FM. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

 The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has explained its decision to withdraw from a strike notice issued simultaneously with the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).

Speaking on Spice FM on Friday, August 30, KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu noted that the union called off the planned industrial action after a substantial portion of their demands were addressed. The primary issue prompting the strike was the implementation of the second phase of the amended Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

“We evaluated the major issue that had been resolved, specifically the implementation of Phase 2. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has enacted this phase, and teachers have received their arrears for July and August,” said Oyuu. 

KNUT had initially issued a strike notice on August 25, coinciding with the start of the third term.

After issuing the notice, the union held a subsequent meeting with the National Executive Council to reassess their course of action.

The  union's demands included converting 46,000 Junior Secondary School teachers to permanent, pensionable positions; hiring 20,000 new teachers; and promoting 130,000 teachers who had been stagnating in various job grades. In May, Junior Secondary School teachers had staged nationwide strikes demanding contract letters.

Oyuu noted that the effectiveness of the strike was compromised as some teachers faced disciplinary actions and received warning letters from the TSC. He expressed concerns about leading a divided team, where some members might be in schools while others are on strike.

KNUT also requested that TSC remit third-party deductions, such as bank and SACCO loans, that had been accrued but not paid. 

Oyuu confirmed that TSC had addressed these deductions and that a technical team was working on teacher promotions. Additionally, KNUT verified that Minet-engaged hospitals were treating teachers as agreed.

Initially, both KNUT and KUPPET issued strike notices on the same day, but KNUT later withdrew. 

The KNUT Sec-Gen explained that TSC called KNUT for a meeting to negotiate terms after the strike notice was served. Subsequently, a sub-meeting was held to guide the National Executive Council and KUPPET on the next steps.

KUPPET Secretary-General Akello Misori on the other hand expressed surprise at KNUT's withdrawal, questioning the swift resolution of teacher demands. 

“We were surprised to learn that the demands had been met, as the TSC had not provided a clear implementation schedule despite assurances at our last meeting,” Misori said.

He criticised KNUT’s decision as “treacherous and dishonest,” questioning how their counterparts could quickly agree to postpone the strike.

“When I saw the agitation among our members, I called Oyuu, who informed me that KNUT was calling off the strike,” added Misori. 

Regarding whether teachers had received payments as stipulated in the CBA, Misori indicated a discrepancy, stating that payments were only made recently. 

“Up to the point when we were considering industrial action, there was no payment. Some banks have only recently received the funds,” he said