Lecturers' strike suspended

The week-long lecturers' strike has been suspended to allow pay negotiations between the government and university unions.

Labour minister John Munyes Thursday announced that the tutors are expected to resume teaching immediately and talks will begin in two weeks.

Under the agreement, the Ministry is supposed to initiate the consultation process with the Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Service.

“The process has to begin from now. And that process is suspension of the strike, which is to be followed by negotiations. This is what this country needs,” Mr Munyes said during a news conference after a meeting with University Academic Staff Union (Uasu), University Non Teaching Staff Union (Unetsu), Central Organisation Trade Union (Cotu) and varsity administration officials at his offices in Nairobi.

"There shall be no victimisation of any kind to all public universities employees under Uasu and Untesu.”

Cotu acting secretary general George Muchai who attended the morning talks termed the deal as “a major victory to all the stakeholders".

“Negotiations will consolidate the togetherness that ought to have been there in the first place between the unions and the management of public universities,” he said.

He called on all the lecturers and other striking staff to abide by the conditions set out in the agreement and to report to work immediately.

The talks were attended by Uasu secretary general, Muga K’Olale, Untesu secretary general Charles Mukwaya, University of Nairobi vice-chancellor Prof George Magoha and his counterpart from Egerton University Prof James Tuitoek.

A senior executive with Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) Harrison Okeche, promised that the employers will abide by the agreement.

“Our team is committed to what we have signed here. We shall consult where necessary and come up with an agreement,” he said.

“I appeal that we all resume normalcy and that we don’t reach this point again. We only reach this point when we don’t communicate with each other. Once dialogue is respected all the others will follow.”

Lecturers downed tools on Wednesday last week, paralysing learning in public universities. (READ: Learning at all public universities paralysed).

The industrial action also affected graduation ceremonies in the seven public universities and 15 constituent colleges.

Egerton and Masinde Muliro universities were closed indefinitely on Friday and students sent home. Chepkoilel University, a constituent college of Moi University was closed on Saturday.

Uasu is seeking implementation of a new structure that will double the basic pay of lecturers and improve their allowances.

It proposes to raise the pay of a professor to a maximum of Sh400,000, up from the current 165,000 a month, and a new house allowance of Sh95,000 up from Sh64,000.

An associate professor’s salary would rise to Sh298,000, moving from Sh135,000 and a house allowance of Sh85,000 against Sh58,000.

A senior lecturer would earn Sh221,000 and a house allowance of Sh75,000, lecturer Sh165,000 and a house allowance of Sh70,000 and an assistant lecturer Sh121,000 plus Sh55,000 for housing.

Similarly, pay of a graduate assistant lecturer — the lowest paid — should rise to Sh78,000 and Sh45,000 for housing from the current Sh40,000 and Sh30,000 for housing, a month.

The lecturers also have other benefits such as medical insurance, leave, and book allowances, which varies from one university to another.

The Government has remained adamant with Higher Education minister Prof Margaret Kamar saying the government has no money to pay the lecturers.