Teachers, TSC in new dispute over court case

Teachers want their employer to withdraw a case pending before the Court of Appeal.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Wilson Sossion said teachers obeyed a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta last year and withdrew all their cases in court to allow fresh negotiations.

“But the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) waited for us to withdraw our cases and sneaked back an appeal on the same issue, which is against the President’s directive,” said Mr Sossion.

According to Mr Sossion, the TSC, which is a government body, could not have filed the appeal without advice from Attorney General Githu Muigai.

“Mr Muigai should explain to teachers why he advised the TSC to appeal and allow the case to remain in court," he said at a press conference in Nairobi on Tuesday .

While meeting the teachers and the TSC officials in November 2015, President Kenyatta asked all parties to withdraw all their cases pending in court to allow fresh negotiations.

Knut and TSC were then embroiled in a long standing dispute over 50 to 60 per cent salary increase for teachers for many years.

Following the President’s directive, the parties withdrew their cases and entered into new negotiations.

The negotiations saw teachers sign a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the TSC in June last year.

“The TSC is the one that is agitating teachers and we will not stop raising issues because there is a coming election,” said Mr Sossion.

Mr Sossion said the TSC is provoking teachers to react by having an active case in court.