Strike by public university staff ends after negotiations

Labour CS Alfred Mutua addresses the Press at NSSF Building in Nairobi, on September 25, after holding a meeting with the UASU and KUSU officials. [Standard, File]

A two-week strike that disrupted learning in public universities has ended following successful negotiations led by Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua.

 The strike involved university lecturers, non-teaching staff and various workers’ unions.

The agreement reached during a day-long meeting at the Ministry of Labour headquarters brought relief to thousands of students and staff.

 The deal involved the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF), the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) and three major unions: the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA).

An inter-ministerial committee included representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Treasury, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Ministry of Labour.

 The return-to-work formula signed with UASU stipulates that the strike would end immediately, with no risk of victimisation for union members.

Universities will implement an enhanced monthly basic salary, with increments between 7 per cent and 10 per cent. An automatic annual increment of 4 per cent of the basic salary will be effective for the two-year Collective Bargaining Agreement cycle, running from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025.

 The retirement age for academic staff, including graduate assistants, tutorial fellows and assistant lecturers, will be harmonised to 70 years.

At the same time, KUSU members will receive a similar salary increment, also set between 7 per cent and 10 per cent.

The retirement age for non-academic staff, including teaching laboratory and library personnel, will be standardised at 65 years.

 In the agreement with KUDHEIHA, university workers will receive a 10 per cent pay increase.

Following the deal, Mutua noted that his ministry will implement mechanisms to resolve disputes before they escalate into industrial action.

 “We will work to ensure that strikes are nipped in the bud and that issues raised by employees are addressed in a timely and effective manner,” he said.

 The inter-ministerial committee will meet for one month starting October 1, 2024, to address pending issues, including the harmonisation of allowances, medical cover, internal CBAs, enhanced staffing in public universities and budgets for promotions, car loans and mortgage schemes.