Reprieve as Kenya National Union of Teachers agrees to talks over looming strike
Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossion (left) at a past press conference. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE |
What you need to know:
- On Thursday, commission boss Gabriel Lengoiboni asked the union to drop its strike threats and give talks a chance.
- Mr Lengoiboni said calls for the strike were premature as they were still in talks with the union.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers has welcomed the government’s invitation to discuss their new salary demands.
However, union secretary-general Wilson Sossion wants the Teachers Service Commission to send them an official communication with dates and timelines of the negotiations.
“The onus is on them. We are ready for negotiations, even at mid night. However, we are yet to receive any letter telling us about the dates and venue for the negotiations,” said Mr Sossion.
“Let them commit themselves in writing and we’ll respond appropriately. The commission should put concrete offers on the table and commit itself to concluding the talks within 21 days.”
On Thursday, commission boss Gabriel Lengoiboni asked the union to drop its strike threats and give talks a chance. The strike is slated for September.
Mr Lengoiboni said calls for the strike were premature as they were still in talks with the union.
SALARY COMPONENT
A Collective Bargaining Agreement was signed before teachers returned to work after last year’s strike. However, the union is demanding a new deal with a basic salary component in it.
The basic salary is lacking in the current draft deal and this is where differences lie.
Mr Lengoiboni called Knut to sign the draft agreement before they can discuss a new deal.
He said a delay in pushing through the salary negotiations was not enough reason for the union to take “extreme action.”
The union had, on Wednesday last week, issued a 21-day strike notice to convene a meeting to discuss a new deal that was to run from July 2013 to July 2014.
The teachers’ union had 37 items that should be discussed, among them, higher responsibility, commuter and housing allowances.
It has also introduced a new compensation to cushion teachers working in key urban areas, called township allowance.
Mr Sossion spoke to the Nation on Friday and defended their proposals as modest.
He argued that teachers deserved better housing and adequate travel allowance to lead comfortable lives and work productively and accused commission of dragging its feet over the matter.
