Universities' mess deepens over CBA, new funding plan

Kenya Universities Staff Union and University Academic Staff Union members at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology protest in Kakamega town on September 18, 2024. [By Benjamin Sakwa, Standard] 

Workers in public universities have downed tools, signalling the deepening mess in institutions of higher learning.

With students still grumbling over the new funding model that clustered them into bands, the teaching and non-teaching staff absconding duty yesterday, thrust the sector into fresh crisis.

The teaching staff listed poor pay, skewed allowances, discriminative medical covers, unpredictable schedule of salary payments.

What began as negotiations to improve their welfare has now escalated into a full-blown crisis, shining a light on the broader issues affecting Kenya’s higher education system, which is already grappling with other issues, including a controversial new funding model.

The Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) members also rejected the new funding model, proposing that all the five bands be collapsed into one for all students.

The rejection of the funding formula comes after university students opposed what they termed bloated taskforce gazetted to clean up the model mess.

“We will oppose any move to implement this new funding model because it has denied majority of learners access to higher education,” said University of Nairobi Students Council President Rocha Madzao.

The students issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to rescind their decision or they take to the streets.

“We are saying disband the bands, band 4 and 5. We shall submit a petition in court and Parliament challenging the implementation of the new model,” said Madzao.

On Wednesday, the dons also argued that since 2014 when the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) came up with a circular that all public service employees are entitled to car loan and mortgage, it has never been implemented.

Uasu Secretary General Constantine Wasonga said their grievances have not been acted upon since 2020. “It was not until June 2023, that they were finally called to the negotiating table — too late, in my view, to resolve the long-standing issues,” Wasonga said.

He added: “If someone since September 4, 2020 did not know what they were doing then they should resign. Whoever sat on our proposals to date and did not act, kindly resign.”

He said the union has held over 10 meetings with key partners, including Vice Chancellors, Ministry of Education, and National Treasury officials. However, Wesonga expressed disappointment that no tangible outcomes have been reached.

“We have been on the table since last year and there is nothing that can be recorded to have been agreed upon. Because of that failure and the time we gave them, our members gave us time to sit and negotiate with the employer on their behalf. That time has now lapsed,” he said.

Wasonga said, one of the most pressing issues is the lack of salary increments. Lecturers haven’t seen a pay raise since 2018, even as the cost of living continues to rise, he said. “We don’t eat promises or promissory notes. We don’t care even if it takes years to earn our hard earned labour. We want something tangible on the table. If they return with promises it will be met with total rejection.”

Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU), Secretary General Charles Mukhwaya said the staff have been overlooked for long and it is time to act.

“We couldn’t do whatever the CS and his team requested. It’s not feasible to continue earning the same in an environment where everything has gone up and our purchasing power has eroded,” said Mukhwaya.

“If there is truly no money, we are left with no choice but to strike until a fair deal is reached. We demand for equal treatment here.”

This comes amid anxiety sweeping through the student population as university leaders intensify their fight against the new higher education funding model.

On Wednesday the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the striking lecturers back to class.

The court also temporarily restrained UASU from calling any strike. Justice Jacob Gakeri issued the orders in a case filed by the Inter-Public Universities Councils Forum (IPUCF).

But Wasonga said the Constitution allows them to go on strike. Gakeri certified the matter urgent and directed the parties to continue negotiating. The matter will be mentioned on October 2 for further directions.

The dons also protested against government’s failure to engage in meaningful discussions over the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the period 2021-2025, stalled promotions and stagnant wages.

“We expected to negotiate this CBA before 2021 since the implementation was to begin in July 2021, but that did not take place,” Wasonga said.

Speaking at Kenyatta University and Technical University of Kenya, Wasonga said the teaching staff have discriminative medical covers. He said some universities have medical covers while some do not have.

“Others are given Sh4,000 while others get less. We want uniform non-contributory cover for all,” said Wasonga.

And for universities that have medical covers, Wasonga said they vary per grade. “There is no disease for a professor and disease for a graduate assistant. Disease has no grades. We want comprehensive non-contributory medical cover,” he said.

Wasonga also said all allowances must be harmonised. “SRC came with a policy in 2022 where they harmonised allowances in public service. We want the same in universities.”