Looming crisis as lecturers return to streets, cite broken promises

Dr Constantine Wasonga, UASU national secretary general speaking during a press conference in Nairobi on 24th April 2023. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard] Learning in public universities could be paralysed again after lecturers issued a fresh strike notice, faulting the government for failed promises. Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) said the government failed to negotiate, conclude, register and implement the 2021-2025 National Collective Bargaining Agreement. They argue that this is as per the law and the Recognition Agreement executed on October 28, 2019 between UASU and the Inter-Public Universities' Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF). They also fault the State for failure to implement Collective Bargaining Agreements for the cycles 2013-2017, 2021-2025 across all public universities and constituent colleges. Also listed in the grievances are failure to implement the return-to-work formula signed on September 26, 2024 by the unions, IPUCCF, Ministries of Labour, Social Protection and Ministry of Education. UASU Secretary General Dr Constantine Wasonga said unions feel betrayed by the government's turn of events. "We met the Inter-Ministerial Committee today. We have totally disagreed on the implementation of the return-to-work arrangement signed on September 26, 2024," said Dr Wasonga. Dr Wasonga said this has prompted them to issue a seven-day ultimatum with a strike set to begin on October 29. "Therefore, the Universities' Academic Staff Union hereby issues a Seven-day strike notice with effect from the date of this letter to the above Councils of Public Universities and Constituent Colleges," stated Dr Wasonga. In a letter addressed to vice chancellors of all public universities as well as principals of constituent colleges, Dr Wasonga reiterated that the dons will not resume their job boycott if their demands are not met. "Our members in all public universities and constituent colleges, shall withdraw their labour and shall not resume duty until the issues raised in the strike notice are addressed," he added. The same letter is copied to Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Education Julius Ogamba and his Labour and Social Protection Dr Alfred Mutua counterpart. The notice is also sent to Koceyo and Company Advocates and well as all UASU chapter secretaries. According to Dr. Wasonga, the dons have decided to strike after all meetings with the government agencies failed. Dr Wasonga said dons feel cheated after the government failed to honour their end of the bargain. "Whereas the unions wanted the RTWF implemented to be implemented as was signed and simulated by the Technical committee at Machakos University from September 30 to October 4, 2024, the Government introduced a global figure of Sh4.3 billion that is not on the RTWF to cover the two years," he stated. According to union officials, they called off the strike after signing an agreement in September that ended a two weeks' strike. The employer agreed to pay the basic monthly salary and incorporate an increment of between seven to 10 percent in October salaries. However, Dr Wasonga said the government has failed to operationalise and implement the CBA. "Our members expected the new salaries this week. We're not going to shy away from calling another strike. Implement a return to work formula or we are back to the streets. We're giving the government only one week before we return to the streets," said Dr Wasonga. The failure by the government, the union said, is not only causing unnecessary tension and anxiety in the universities but also threatening to disrupt industrial peace. This came only three weeks later after they had called off their nationwide go-slow after striking a return-to-work formula with the government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in September. The lecturers had downed their tools on September 18, citing delays in finalizing the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the government. When the lecturers agreed to call off their initial strike, the government agreed to fast-track total operationalisation of the return to work formula. In the arrangement as per the 2021-2025 CBA, the minimum pay for graduate assistants should be between Sh63,647 and Sh97,988. For assistant lecturers, it ranges between Sh107,872 and Sh166,072. Professors are to earn a monthly salary of between Sh 224, 631 and Sh345,816.

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