Lecturers in fresh strike threat over pay dispute

Lecturers in 31 public universities are Tuesday expected to issue a 21-day strike notice after the government failed to implement their pay increase.

Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) Secretary-General Constantine Wasonga said the government had not shown any commitment to resolving the issue amicably.

“We will not engage universities management any more since they are not sincere,” Dr Wasonga said.

FUNDS
Inter-Public Universities Councils Consultative Forum chairman Paul Kanyari said the institutions were still waiting for communication from the Ministry of Education on the issue.

“We are still waiting and once we get the communication, we will engage the staff,” Prof Kanyari said.

In August, universities asked lecturers to suspend their plan to go on strike to allow the institutions to secure funds to implement new salary scales as signed in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

“We request for enduring industrial harmony so that any attendant matters hereof can be resolved expeditiously and to the benefit of all stakeholders without prejudicing the amenity currently being experienced,” he said.

He said the failure to implement the new salary scales was due to financial shortfall in the universities.

If lecturers make good their threat, this will be the third time they will be going on strike this year.