Civil servants seek pay rise after teachers’ deal

Civil servants are now demanding a salary increase following a new pay deal for teachers.

Union of Kenya Civil Servants Secretary-General Tom Mboya Odege said on Saturday that civil servants will push for the increase before August 2017.

The demand comes hot on the heels of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed last week between the Teachers Service Commission and the Kenya National Union of Teachers that will result in improved salaries for members.

Speaking to the media at the Nyali International Beach Hotel in Mombasa after he was re-elected on Saturday, Mr Odege said the teachers’ deal had raised expectations in the civil service.

He said the union had an appointment with the Public Service ministry next week to begin talks on the salary increase.

“We will not push for a skeleton CBA but one with flesh and when the teachers get their benefits in July 2017, we will have ours around the same time,” he said.

“We have a fresh mandate from public service workers and we want to focus on the issue because we have not seen a government that has not reviewed salaries before its five-year term ends,” said Mr Odege.

He said the last CBA was in 2012 and a new pay deal was needed before the Jubilee government’s term ends next year.

“We successfully pushed for harmonised house allowances and introduced commuter allowances but we feel this is not adequate in light of the current economic situation,” he said.

Mr Odege said the union will also push the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to harmonise salaries for staff in the counties.

He said there were three different payrolls for staff at the devolved units “and this defies logic and morality”.

“People who worked for the municipal councils and devolved staff from the national government have different salaries despite having the same qualifications and performing similar functions. Their salaries should be harmonised,” he said.

In the hotly contested union elections, Mr John Nzau was elected chairman while Mr Justus Mugo became national treasurer. Mr Alisokor Mohamud was elected national organising secretary.

The new officials urged the government to end corruption, saying it made it harder for public workers to be awarded salary increments.