Universities staff to go on strike Monday after talks collapse
Kusu secretary-general Charles Mukhwaya (right) addresses the media with Uasu secretary-general Constantine Wasonga (left) and Uasu chairman Muga K’Olale at a past event. They have called off the university workers' strike. FILE PHOTO | JOSEPH OPENDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Union representatives vowed to boycott work beginning January 8 after talks failed to result in a counter-proposal for their 2013-2017 collective bargaining agreement.
- The unions cautioned continuing students not to report to universities and parents to rethink admission plans for their children, saying the strike would disrupt learning.
The reopening of public universities could be disrupted following the collapse Friday of talks between the government and unions representing lecturers and non-teaching staff aimed at averting a planned strike.
The Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels, Education Health Institutions and Allied workers (KUDHEHIA), the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU) and University Academic Staff Union (UASU) on Friday evening failed to agree with the government to suspend a strike planned for Monday.
The union representatives vowed to boycott work beginning January 8 after the Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum (IPUCCF) failed to offer a counter-proposal for their 2013-2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
KUDHEHIA Secretary-General Albert Njeru said the unions have ran out of patience, adding that the government has refused to raise their salaries since 2010.
'PUBLIC-RELATIONS GIMMICKS'
“We are very disappointed with the IPUCCF for doing nothing about the proposal we gave them on December 2012 for the 2013-2017 agreement,” said Mr Njeru.
UASU Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga, on the other hand, accused IPUCCF chairman Ratemo Michieka of disregarding the CBA by engaging the unions in public-relations gimmicks.
Dr Wasonga said the government is only trying to buy time because the CBA for 2013-2017 will expire in five months’ time.
“We will go on strike even if it is for a whole year until the government takes us seriously,” said Dr Wasonga.
KUSU Secretary-General Charles Mukhwaya also challenged Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to show leadership by ensuring that the crisis is averted.
The unions cautioned continuing university students not to report to campuses for classes and parents to rethink admission plans for their children, saying the strike would disrupt learning.
