KUPPET threatens to go on strike over delayed CBA talks

KUPPET secretary general Akello Misori, addresses press at TSC Headquarters in Nairobi on September 2, 2024. [File Courtesy, Standard] The Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) has registered a dispute with the Ministry of Labour, accusing the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of frustrating talks over the new 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and threatening a major strike next month. Speaking in Mombasa during a capacity-building workshop with the Canadian Teachers Federation, KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori said TSC has failed to invite teachers to the table to discuss the 2021-2025 CBA, which ends on June 30, 2025. "TSC is dishonest in discussing the new CBA. They have not tabled any proposal for our counterproposal. Therefore, I was given the mandate to register and deposit a dispute with TSC to the Labour Minister, which I have already done, and the minister was given seven days to address the issue of CBA," said Misori. He added "We don't want our members to be exposed at the end of June because if there is no CBA, and on that account, we have given the minister and TSC seven days and if they fail then they should prepare to have serious trouble similar to the one we had last time and we are going to withdraw labour, demonstrations and all sort of things." Misori said TSC is working with impunity and has not called teachers to have any formal meeting to discuss issues of the new CBA, stating that there will be no turning back, especially after registration of a dispute with the Labour ministry. He warned against scrapping hardship allowances for teachers in remote areas and called for reclassification of hardship zones to include areas such as Lari in Kiambu and Nairobi County. "Transportation costs are a heavy burden, so the union proposes increasing commuter allowances by 200 to 250 per cent across job grades. We also want daily subsistence allowances to reflect current fuel prices," said Misori. KUPPET is also pushing for leave allowances equal to one month's basic salary to provide teachers with better financial support during breaks. The union seeks a hazardous allowance of 20 per cent of basic salary for science teachers working in risky environments, compensating for lab-related dangers. KUPPET National Chairman Omboko Milemba said the 2025-2029 budget has not factored in money for CBA, vowing to proceed with a strike if the government and TSC do not intervene. "TSC has not called us to have talks, and that is why we have issued a notice to TSC and the ministry that they are remaining with 10 days and we have written a notice to the labour ministry that if TSC does not call KUPPET in seven days to have talks, then we will proceed to strike next month," said Omboko. Omboko said the union will defend and oppose any plans by the government to scrap the examination fee, stating that the money is part and parcel of free and compulsory education as enshrined in the constitution.

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KUPPET secretary general Akello Misori, addresses press at TSC Headquarters in Nairobi on September 2, 2024. [File Courtesy, Standard]

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KUPPET threatens to go on strike over delayed CBA talks

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