Kuppet fights transfer of its members to Knut

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers Secretary-General Akello Misori. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Kuppet claims it has lost at least Sh800,000 in monthly members’ subscriptions following TSC’s move last month.
  • The more than 312,000 teachers contribute two per cent of their basic salary to unions every month.
  • Before last year’s membership validation, Knut used to collect about Sh1.6 billion a year, translating to Sh135 million monthly.
  • Last year, Knut suffered a setback after it was ordered to stop representing teachers in secondary and tertiary institutions.

A teachers’ union is headed for a showdown with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the employer’s decision to transfer 1,249 members to a rival.

Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) claims it has lost at least Sh800,000 in monthly members’ subscriptions following TSC’s move last month.

Secretary-General Akelo Misori now wants TSC to reverse the decision failing which the union will move to court as no explanation was given prior to the action.

“This is a blatant disregard of the procedures and tripartite agreements that have been entered into between the two parties. This action is a collusion between unscrupulous TSC officials and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) operatives just to defraud Kuppet and its membership,” said Mr Misori.

He said no similar action was taken against Knut as no post-primary teacher was removed from its roll.

DEMAND LETTERS

“We have unsuccessfully written several demand letters to the TSC for it to honour Kuppet’s recognition agreement. The  agreement demands that TSC recognises Kuppet as the sole representative of the post-primary education teachers,” said Mr Misori.

He demanded that the commission should move with speed and demarcate the two unions, failing which Kuppet will take legal action.

The two unions have been fighting for billions of shillings that they collect from teachers as membership fee.

The more than 312,000 teachers contribute two per cent of their basic salary to unions every month with about 50,000 who do not fall in any union paying agency fee.

Before last year’s membership validation, Knut used to collect about Sh1.6 billion a year, translating to Sh135 million monthly, while Kuppet used to collect Sh425 million a year, which translated to Sh35 million a month.

DELIVER SERVICE

Last year, Knut suffered a setback after it was ordered to stop representing teachers in secondary and tertiary institutions.

Instead, its rival Kuppet was directed to represent them with Knut focusing on primary school teachers. A conciliator, J.N. Mwanzia, appointed by the Labour ministry, said the two unions represented teachers with different interests.

The decision followed Kuppet’s protest to then Labour Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie that Knut was poaching its members, leading to overlap, confusion and chaos thus compromising their ability to effectively deliver service.

“It is our finding that despite the fact that both unions are duly registered entities, with duly signed recognition agreements with the TSC, a case for demarcation exists,” ruled Mr Mwanzia.