Union changes tune on teachers strike

What you need to know:

  • “We understand the government is willing to pay responsibility allowance, annual leave allowance and negotiate on basic salaries,” Mr Misori said.
  • “We wish to give the candidates a chance to write their exams as we negotiate with the government,” Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion said.

A teachers’ union has toned down on its call for a national strike over their salary hike demands and agreed to talks.

However, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) threatened to move to court to have the government compelled to meet their demands if Friday’s talks collapse again.

Kuppet secretary general Akelo Misori recanted his earlier remarks that his union would not be party to further talks accusing the government of lacking commitment.

Mr Misori who addressed the Press in Nairobi Thursday said Kuppet will attend today’s meeting with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) after reports that the government would table an offer.

“We understand the government is willing to pay responsibility allowance, annual leave allowance and negotiate on basic salaries,” Mr Misori said.

The TSC will Friday meet the two unions for the third time in two months.

This came as the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) insisted it will not call a strike even if the government fails to table an offer in Friday’s meeting.

CHANCE TO WRITE THEIR EXAMS

“We wish to give the candidates a chance to write their exams as we negotiate with the government,” Knut secretary general Wilson Sossion said.

“We will give talks a chance irrespective of the outcome of Friday’s (today) meeting. We will not abandon the negotiating table,” Mr Sossion added.

TSC boss Gabriel Lengoiboni had termed Kuppet’s earlier decision to boycott talks as premature.

“Should the meeting yield nothing, we will engage our lawyers to have the government compelled to meet our demands,” said Mr Misori.

But Mr Sossion said the decision on whether teachers will boycott work will be mad Annual General Meeting in December.