Sossion stays put on teachers' strike after TSC skips talks

The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has asked tutors transferred by their employer not to report to their new stations as schools reopen on Wednesday.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said this in his address to reporters on Tuesday, on a conciliatory meeting that was to include the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

BAD FAITH

Mr Sossion accused the TSC of acting in bad faith after its officials missed the meeting.

The union and the commission were to meet the conciliation team from 10am.

"The employer is working in bad faith and cannot start playing tricks when we come for conciliation," he said.

He added the commission's actions were a clear indication that it is not committed to roundtable discussions.

The head teachers had a deadline of December 28 to hand over while the other teachers are expected to do so on Thursday.

STRIKE STILL ON

The Knut boss said he will defy a court order requiring the union to provide a list of teachers it wants promoted, saying only the TSC's human resource department can keep a register of tutors and their qualifications, a function paid for by taxpayers

The unresolved issues between the TSC and the teachers' union concern promotions, transfers, performance contracting and professional development modules.

The conciliation committee appointed by Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani met Knut officials on Saturday.

It met the TSC's at their offices on Monday and later had a closed-door session with the two parties. The evening meeting lasted more than six hours.

Mr Yatani had directed both the TSC and Knut to show up for Tuesday's joint conciliation meeting.

Mr Sossion said they were "shocked" that their employer did not turn up.