Knut calls strike as MPs told pay deal obsolete
Kenya National Union of Teachers Chairman Wilson Sossion (Left) flanked by union Ag Secretary General Xavier Nyamu (Centre), Assistant Secretary General Muso Nzili among other officials addressing the press at their head office in Nairobi on June 24, 2013 where they announced a countrywide teachers strike beginning June 25. Photo/BILLY MUTAI
What you need to know:
- Teachers want the State to honour 1997 deal on perks
- Salaries commission and TSC say unions must renegotiate
Learning in public schools will be paralysed from Tuesday as teachers go into a nationwide strike over salaries.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) on Monday dismissed calls for dialogue by President Kenyatta. In a meeting convened by its national executive council, the union declared a national strike to demand the government honours a 1997 pay agreement.
This came as the parliamentary committee on education, chaired by Murang’a women’s representative Sabina Chege, heard that the 1997 pact signed between Knut and the government was obsolete.
The committee was meeting the Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairperson Sarah Serem and Teachers Service Commission boss Gabriel Lengoiboni at Parliament Buildings.
The MPs were told that teachers needed to renegotiate a new pact with TSC.
Knut said it resolved to go on strike because its members cannot “eat dialogue”. It also ruled out any further negotiations.
Mr Wilson Sossion, the union’s national chairman, accused the government of playing politics on the matter as it was bound by Legal Notice 534 of 1997.
The legal notice tasked the government to increase teachers’ hardship, special, house, medical and commuter allowances.
“We have assessed the behaviour of the government and discovered they are using primitive divide-and-rule method. It will not work,” he said.
The union also accused rival union Kuppet of being traitors and being used by the government.
“We have declared the teachers strike effective midnight, and let no one mislead you, this will be the father of all strikes,” he added.
Mr Sossion said TSC will not have powers to instruct teachers during the strike and that, instead, directives will be issued by Knut. He asked teachers to hand over their schools to head teachers before midnight on Monday.
Knut acting secretary-general Xavier Maina Nyamu said the union had narrowed down their demands on allowances agreed upon in 1997 and therefore it will not be a headache for the President.
The allowances the teachers are agitating for include house allowance at 50 per cent of basic salary, medical perks at 20 per cent of basic salary and commuter allowance at 10 per cent.
“All these allowances must be paid in total. We have gone to the ministry and presented our issues,” said Mr Nyamu.
Mr Nyamu also appealed to parents to withdraw their children from schools as teachers will not be available.
“The ball is now on the government’s side, we will sit down and watch,” said Mr Nyamu.
“What teachers want is money. Those advising the president should tell him we shall not negotiate less than we have declared,” said Mr Sossion.
The laptop issue also arose during the media briefing in Nairobi, with Mr Sossion lashing at the government for ignoring teachers’ input on the matter.
He said it was absurd for the government to allocate Sh53 billion for the laptops, yet they were only agitating for Sh46 billion, adding that laptops should be given to university and college students.
This is the seventh strike by teachers since 1997.
